An Unexpected Honor
by ScribeofHeroes
Summary: It was the beginning, and perhaps the end, of a beautiful friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**This is pretty much straight up ripped from the 2003 show's "Big Brawl part 2 and 3 episodes," so I own nothing.**

Usagi had wanted this fight … in a way. When he'd told the young kame his "feeling was mutual" about not "going up against you if I can help it," he'd meant during this competition. If he would lose, it was likely to be to this kame. Usagi did not wish to lose. Yet, he "did" wish to test himself against Leonardo, just outside the competition, when neither of them would end the other's hopes of winning the Battle Nexus Championship.

He also would have preferred meeting Leonardo at the competition's end. To have entered the final circle of battle, here, together, would have been a great honor for them both. Instead, they'd ended up pitted against each other after just one battle with another opponent.

No matter. In another three years, there would be another Battle Nexus Championship. Hopefully, he and this kame would not be pitted against each other again so soon then too. Let this test against "Leonardo" be all he'd hoped for now.

Usagi smiled. Their match was turning into just that. He was seeing not only how skilled "Leonardo san" truly was, but how skilled "he" himself was.

He had seen during their encounter with the dishonorable assassins that the kame could fight off a few of them by himself, for a few moments at least. Leonardo had grabbed the first weapon he could to fight back with. The kame's obvious discomfort handling the quandoa had disturbed Usagi.

Wielding one's weapon in battle must feel as natural as moving one's own fingers. It was a matter of life and death. Usagi knew that well.

Seeing Leonardo fight with his own, returned swords, caused the Ronin to worry far less for him. Indeed, he worried for himself now. Who knew he'd meet a kame so fast of feet, so swift of sword, so honorable in battle, this fine day? The rabbit smiled to himself again. _The Battle Nexus is full of surprises. _

They were in close, striking their swords against each other's. The kame was looking fine, barely warming up. Usagi was impressed. He'd be tired for other bouts, if he even won this one. Theirs had gone on longer than any of the other's around them if his ears heard right. Still ... Usagi almost wished theirs could continue far longer.

While Leonardo had his focus on his blades to see who would overpower the other in their cross of and press into them, or who would maneuver cleverly out of the lock (Usagi was watching for the same thing), the kame's head jerked up. Usagi saw Leonardo's eyes widen. The kame pulled away. He turned from Usagi, exposing his weak spots to him, his side, and then his back. Even if the latter was covered by a shell, this was inexcusable behavior for one so well trained!

Yet … his opponent's face. Leonardo was grimacing in pain. He shook his head like he was trying to clear it, scowled over his shoulder.

Usagi's own eyes widened. This was not a lapse in judgement on his opponent's part. This was trust! Another, more pressing enemy attacked the kame. A wound?

Usagi froze. Had he caused this? Fear coursed through him. His memory raced to catch up with it. He relaxed only a hair when it did so.

No ... No. He had not cut Leonardo. He was sure of it! Nor had he delivered a hard enough blow for this reaction. And the rules, the safety guards … Yet, still the kame staggered before him even now! Usagi's mouth fell open.

Like an arrow, a thought cut through his mind. The assassins … Somehow, they have struck again, and succeeded! No ...

Then it happened. Leonardo dropped his swords, the ones he'd been fighting so well with, the ones he had smiled so wide at seeing again in the Pavilion of Past Champions. This was serious indeed. His opponent then turned to him. "Usagi!"

The rabbit's mouth fell open. The kame he'd met such a little while ago called out to him like a trusted friend. He supposed he was. He had just saved his life most likely, and they had talked, and been enjoying this bout together, but he didn't expect to be called to for more help so soon. And, in truth, this seemed the worse situation.

At least before, he could see the weapons coming at, and block or destroy them for, Leonardo. He now saw a change happening in his new friend, but not its cause. How could he help him?

Yet, perhaps because the walls around them blocked out all others save the crowd in the stands, Leonardo now called to his opponent, him. "I ... I ..." The kame reached up his three-fingered hand to reach over his own shoulder as his other hand hung lax at his side, then he stumbled toward him, and collapsed.

Usagi's large ears heard the gasps of the crowd and a clearer and nearer shout of "My son!" His heart clenched at the latter sound. He leaned over the prone body and spoke gently, "Leonardo san ..."

Usagi knew some proud warriors did not like to be aided without their permission given first. There was no response from Leonardo at all. The Samurai moved forward anyway. He could no longer afford to wait.

Usagi knelt and began to turn the shelled body over. The Gyoji appeared as he did so. The rule stater addressed him. "Warrior, what has happened here?"

Usagi looked up briefly to answer. "Something is terribly wrong!" He then went back to turning over and then checking Leonardo. He bent his head over the shell-covered chest. He curved his ears to cup around any sound coming from it.

He hadn't heard any breathing from Leonardo since he'd spoken, but surely the shell over his chest might be ... Yes, he could hear it now, but it did little to comfort him. "Hmmm … his breathing is shallow."

The Gyoji's voice sounded harsh to the rabbit. "This warrior will require a healer at once."

Usagi could not agree more if the Gyoji had told him "Samurai should always live with honor."

The Gyoji went on in an even harsher, louder voice, "The match will be nullified pending a thorough investigation into this incident."

The Gyoji was scowling at him. Usagi carefully lifted his head to meet the rule-keepers gaze. He even more carefully lifted Leonardo's form to hang over his shoulder. He took the Gyoji's nullifying the match and suspicion in stride. He couldn't concentrate on another match anyway, not with Leonard's life ending or being saved in the healer's pavilion nearby. He did not wish to be declared winner when their bout had ended like this either. An assassin had tried to kill Leonardo, not give "him" an honorable victory. Even if this had been their aim, he would not have accepted going further in the competition under those circumstances.

What scared him the most was the possibility the Gyoji would concentrate on "him" as the main suspect in his investigation. This concerned him for two reasons. 1. It could allow the true assassins to escape. 2. It could prevent him from doing what his honor bid him do.

As he lifted the large kame up, he made his position known. "Very well, but I insist you let me accompany him to the healer's pavilion."

If the Goyji's suspicion had been obvious, it was little compared to that of the next to join them. The landing was loud for a ninja's, the voice too. "And _I_ insist you get your _paws off my brother!"_

Usagi looked up with widened eyes. Here indeed was another kame. This one wore purple, carried a boe staff, and was a different shade of green than Leonardo, but the snarl on his face made it even more obvious to Usagi this kame "was" family to Leonardo san. It also told him this brother of his friend blamed him for Leonardo's condition.

Usagi was careful to keep his eyes meeting those behind the purple mask. He stepped forward carefully while aiding the bigger creature he supported in moving forward too. In doing so, he left his soft belly and head exposed to the newcomer's weapon. He spoke softly to him also. "Please, I only wish to help Leonardo."

Leonardo rallied. Perhaps the voice of his brother had given him the strength to do so. He tried to disentangle himself from Usagi.

The Ronin was afraid this meant Leonardo had changed his mind about wanting his assistance. This concerned him. He was still closest to the ailing warrior and Leonardo was still weak, but he stepped back in respect. After all, Leonardo's brother was here. He could not fault the warrior for preferring hands of family over the hands of a new friend.

Leonard lifted his head just enough to look his brother's direction. His voice came out surprisingly strong for his earlier shallow breathing. Still, his movements were so slow and ungraceful it made Usagi wince. Leonardo had been so perfect in movement during their bout and their fight with the assassins, when he wasn't awkwardly using a weapon not his own. His new friend's words startled him now. "Don, it's alright."

Usagi's eyes widened slightly. Leonardo was defending him? Any fight between them would delay his care and possibly catch him in the middle. Still, it was another sign of trust in him. It also took strength to fight through whatever pain and weakness Leonardo might be feeling to deliver those words. As if to prove his point, Leonardo slumped over again. Usagi moved forward to catch him. So, did his brother ... this ... "Don." They were assisted to the healer's pavilion. And Usagi was glad.

This was not the way he'd expected his time in the Battle Nexus Championship to go. He'd expected many honorable fights, maybe not so honorable ones too considering what Draco had done some years before. The chance to see old acquaintances and relive old memories had also drawn him. Making a new friend "had" been a possibility. He admitted to himself, though, "winning" had seemed more likely. Old contestants returned far more often than new ones were added. His skills had strengthened since the last Battle Nexus Championship. Not to mention, not everyone Usagi met became his friend.

His duty, though, now, was clear. He must abandon any idea of further competition this year, let alone winning. Not only did his honor demand he protect and aid Leonardo san now, his heart, mind, and spirit demanded he do the same. This warrior's life was worth more than a thousand Battle Nexus championships.

If Leonardo "had" to fall this day, even forever (and Usagi's heart was bitter at the thought) the Samurai would not have wanted his own day to have turned out any other way. He counted himself lucky to have met, fought with, and fought against Leonardo san. Though it would be the briefest friendship he'd ever had, it would also have been one of the best.

**I just discovered there are far, far too few pieces honoring Leonardo and Usagi's great friendship in the 2003 series. I'm trying to remedy that in my own small way. :)  
**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own the episodes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2003 series the characters, places, and dialogue here are taken from. I'm attempting to show what might have been Leo's thoughts on his situation then and his new friend. :)**

**Please enjoy.**

_"I have to tell you Usagi san, the way you fight I'd rather not go up against you if I can help it."_

Turtle luck running true to form … that's what Raph would have called it. Then he would have laughed at his brother's expense. Leonardo gave a wry grin at his own imaginings.

There, across from him, was the rabbit Samurai, he was sure from his dress, swords, and mannerisms, who'd saved his neck in the Pavilion of Past Champions. It had never occurred to him before a rabbit would make an awesome warrior. Now it would never "not."

He'd also given him Splinter-level advice. He was good, and he was his opponent. "It's just like you said Usagi-san. We have to fight each other."

The rabbit gazed back at him eyes focused, but mouth curling up at the corners. "Fate often has such a wry sense of humor." The warrior drew his sword and went down into an impressive crouch. He raised his sword in an equally impressive block. "Come, let us fight as friends and may the best swordsman win!"

Leonardo couldn't have agreed more if Usagi had said "Live with honor!"

Leonardo drew his own blade. He and Usagi both waited, staring at each other. Then they both charged. As he watched, reacted to, and watched his opponent again, he learned a lot from Usagi.

His father had sparred with Leonardo using blades. Splinter was … well … Splinter was as excellent with blades as he was with any other weapon. Just when he thought he knew all his teacher's moves, Splinter would do something new.

Usagi's style felt similar, yet different, from his father's. They both moved fast jumping over strikes, striking out with their feet as well as their blades. Usagi moved differently, though. It was obvious he had a "lot" of power in his legs. He bounced higher with less effort. His kicks moved more air. Leonardo was careful not to let those kicks connect with him. Leonardo found sparring with Usagi like trying a favorite dish from a new restaurant. The flavor, the look, even the smell was slightly different, and yet familiar too. Leonardo felt excited rather than disappointed by this.

When he fought with his brothers, and he and they both wielded swords (his father tried to prepare them to take up weapons they didn't usually wield at a moment's notice), he often found himself more a teacher than a combatant. "Hold them like this." "Good." "Don't forget to use both hands and blades simultaneously, Don. They aren't your staff." "Yes, they're heavier and longer than sai, Raph." "I know, you prefer your sai. "Careful, don't drop them." "Don't 'really' cut me with them either!" (sigh) "Mikey, take this seriously. They're Katanna not sabres. You don't have to keep quoting 'Princess Bride.'"

Swords were obviously Usagi's preferred weapon. After the start of their match, there had been no banter let along movie lines thrown around. Leonardo didn't think he'd be teaching Usagi a thing or two about how to use his blades any time soon.

When Leonardo fought a foot ninja wielding a blade it was for his life and often the lives of friends and family members too. He could not hold back, might even have to kill. Something inside him felt frozen then. Something told him he couldn't make a mistake, couldn't let anyone down, everything depended on him.

His brothers were elsewhere right now. He was a little nervous about that, but he'd heard his father give them permission to compete. The old rat had seemed worried, but he'd given them his blessing in the end. That said a lot. And Leonardo had seen his last opponent just disappear after his landing following his last blow before he could "really" hurt him. His brothers should all be fine. The warrior who faced him now was no enemy. He was a friend. He could relax ... somewhat. Usagi wasn't going easy on him either.

Leonardo didn't mind. Usagi had saved his life. Without him, his father and brothers might be mourning now instead of competing too. He owed him a lot, enough to give him a battle to brag about, however this went.

Leonardo felt later, he never got a chance to do that.

He, getting up close to Usagi, had the upper "sword hand." He was pressing his blades down into Usagi's. Usagi was strong, as well as small. Leonardo could feel the rabbits resistance through his Katanna. If he didn't win this bout right away, trying this would have been a mistake. It would use up too much of his energy well before the competition was over!

Then came the sting in the back of his shoulder and all those concerns flew away. A burning sensation spread through the muscle after the initial sting. He felt wrong. Not just pain, but "Wrongness." It was the same kinda feeling he got when adrenaline was carrying him through, but he knew his gait and balance were off and later realized he was bleeding out. His body's alarms were going off, His intuition's sirens were blaring.

He didn't have to be afraid of Usagi. Afraid to lose to him, sure, but there were more important things to lose. His time in the Pavilion of Past Champions had just retaught him that.

Leonardo turned away and began trying to sift through his now sluggish mind to clarify the problem so he could address it with his now sluggish body. He dropped his swords. He usually treated his Katanna with more respect, but if he didn't drop them soon, he may never pick them up again.

He reached for the source of his pain, the sting … He couldn't even feel if he touched what was causing it or not. His fingers were going numb. What if ..?

No! No, he couldn't die here! His father! His brothers! They needed him! He needed to find help soon, so he could help them!

He turned to the rabbit, the Samurai who had helped him before. He hated asking for another favor from the Samurai so soon, but … "Usagi … I … I …"

I what? Leonardo boiled with frustration. The right words to tell him what he needed, indeed even the concept of what he wanted, flew from him as his world went dark.

Feeling and sound still came to him, though. He felt the slam of stone connecting with his face, arms, and plastron. His knees too. _Ouch._

At least he hadn't fallen on his swords. They were behind him. Weren't they? What was happening to him? Was that his father's voice? Don's?

_"Leonardo san …"_

Usagi … Couldn't he have found a way to tell the rabbit Samurai a "little" more bit more about his predicament before he partially-passed out?

_"Turtle luck runnin true to form." _

This time, Leo did not laugh, not even on the inside.

He thought he felt a warm body drawing closer to him. Then warm, fuzzy hands lifted him. They had him half-turned over.

Now Leo almost did laugh, definitely on the inside. He didn't have enough breath to laugh on the "outside" just yet. He'd been thinking of how Mikey would make a "cute, little bunny is helping you out" joke if he was with him.

Somehow, he didn't think Usagi could appreciate such a joke even if he could understand it. The rabbit seemed completely in the dark about how his warrior skills would seem out of place on an earth where little girls dreamed of cuddling forms like his as a soft plushy or cute pet. After exhausting his arm muscles trying to break through Usagi's defense, Leo thought he'd never look at a stuffed-bunny as appropriate again, not unless its owner expected it to slice through the monsters in their closet. Right now, he'd settle for Usagi figuring out what was wrong with him before he expired.

The Gyoji's voice broke through his musings. "Warrior, what has happened here?"

Which of them was he talking to? Leonardo tried to reply and then remembered. _Oh right … the one of us who can answer._

He heard Usagi's voice much closer. Indeed, he felt his warm breath waft over his skin. "Something is very wrong."

_No kidding._

Leo tried to think who might have done this to him. He thought he'd seen Shredder's helmet or a likeness of it in the Pavilion of Past Champions, which annoyed him no end. Had his enemy or another close to him found him here?

What about the assassins in the Pavilion of Past Champions who'd caused him to grab that likeness of his mortal enemy's head-garb? Yeah, they likely had something to do with this. They'd been assassins, but hadn't looked like Foot. Unlikely the Purple Dragons had hired them. Who else would ..?

A thin face, with a long, red ponytail behind it came to mind. _Oh man … I should have been more like Raph this one time and stayed more suspicious of the Daimyo's son even after that apology he gave us … _

Leo heard Usagi's voice again. "His breathing is very shallow."

_Great … I'm toast. I didn't even get to say goodbye to my father or brothers, fight more than three rounds in the Battle Nexus tournament, or avenge myself! How on earth, or in the battle nexus, are my brothers and father going to avenge me against those shadowy assassins "or" the Daimyo's son?_

If his breathing wasn't "very shallow," Leo would have growled.

The Gyoji's voice broke through his thoughts again. "This warrior will require a healer at once."

_Yeah, that'd be nice._

Leo's thoughts always came out more like Raph's when he was sick, he recalled now. Although, only in his own mind. They never left his mouth that way. Leo knew he'd speak with more respect to Usagi and the Gyoji if he could speak ...

The Gyoji's next words alarmed him to the point he wished just that even more. "This match will be nullified pending a thorough investigation into this incident." The words sounded aimed at Usagi!

He supposed he should have been relieved even if he died the matter would be looked into and hopefully the real culprits discovered. But what if they weren't? What if Usagi got blamed? And even if he didn't, unless they stopped the whole tournament until the investigation was considered complete, Usagi's chances of continuing to compete were shot. Leo's heart, already acting weird, dropped.

_Ah man, poor Usagi …_

An interesting thought for a possibly dying turtle to have, but he had it nonetheless. The rabbit's own voice pulled him from his morose thoughts. "Very well, but I insist on accompanying him to the healer's pavilion."

His heart went from plummeting to warming immediately. Usagi didn't sound upset at all, but he did sound firm. That was the tone Splinter used when making up his mind.

Then Leo wandered if he'd gotten even worse. He thought he felt the stone beneath his feet move. A familiar, yet, somewhat unfamiliar voice filled his ear. "And I insist you get your paws off my brother!"

_Oh crud. Don …_

Don didn't usually get mad, but when he did …

"Please …" Usagi's voice again, clear, soft and polite all at the same time. "I only want to help Leonardo …"

He had to interfere, he had to. Maybe it was being on his feet instead of having his front or even his shell digging into the stone floor, maybe it was adrenaline from picturing his brother pounding his new friend into that same floor with his boe staff, maybe turtle luck, for once, wasn't "running true to form."

Whatever it was, he managed to straighten a little further and get a little more breath as he moved toward his brainy, usually calm brother. "Don, it's alright …"

Aaaaand … that was all he had. His world went dark again, and everything went even more muffled and fuzzy than before. He hoped that had been enough.

He did think he felt both Usagi and Don's forms nearby, one so familiar and the other so warm. Warm-blooded friends and family members had their purpose. If there was a bright side to all this, well, maybe there were actually "two," not just one, bright sides here, despite everything. 1. His brother was with him. He would not be dying alone or without family nearby. 2. He had made a true friend today …

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	3. Chapter 3

**Mostly from the third episode of the 2003 TMNT series "Big Brawl" storyline. **

**Note, this third chapter used to be Donnie's POV of a missing scene following these events. That chapter is now chapter 4.**

**Please enjoy.**

Usagi's heart sank at the words of what was most likely the best healer in the land. Leonardo san had been poisoned, and the source of that poison eluded the one charged with his care. The Samurai looked to his fellow warrior's family members.

The Nezumi known as "Splinter san" looked defeated. Usagi recalled the old fighter had not looked defeated when his leg was broken during his bout with Draco, nor when Draco had wrapped his tail around him and squeezed in that sneak attack after hiss loss to Splinter san. However, that same Nezumi who had looked determined then, looked defeated now. The rodent's large, sad eyes stared at the still form of his son lying on a mat in the healer's pavilion. Leo had groaned and then seemed to faint as they laid him down upon it moments earlier.

Usagi felt he should not have been surprised at the identity of Leonardo's father and teacher. Yet, he had been. Splinter had beaten Usagi's own master to win the Battle Nexus Championship. The Nezumi's master, Yoshi, had also beaten his master in the Battle Nexus Tournament even longer ago. And that Splinter was Leonardo san's father, probably his teacher as well. Usagi thought he could see the similarity in their fighting styles now. This family was hard to beat.

A voice from behind them startled Usagi. Anger at himself flared within him. He'd inexcusably let his own guard down after an assassination attempt on his friend, while said friend lay helpless before him?

Usagi felt only slightly better upon realizing who it was who had managed to get a clear view of his back. The Daimyo's son stood in the entryway. He also called himself "The Ultimate Ninja." Why he thought the title honorable, Usagi did not know.

His words confused the Samurai too. He did not remember the Daimyo's son showing such concern for guests well-being before. Neither, except, perhaps, for a shared desire for perfection, could he think of a reason for the Daimyo's son and Leonardo to share a special bond. Perhaps it had to do with Splinter's relationship with the Daimyo? This thought seemed verified by Splinter's departure with the stated intent of speaking to their host.

Usagi noted while Leonardo had simply called his brother "Don" their Nezumi father called the purple-wearing kame "Donatello" as he commanded him to stay with his brother. Usagi pondered this.

He himself called Genesuke "Gen" at times. Friends often did such things. Perhaps brothers did too. Fathers tended to be more formal. Leonardo had been short of breath when he'd called his brother "Don." Still, Usagi wondered what "he" should call this still extremely frightened and fierce brother of his friend to avoid arousing his wrath again.

Usagi watched the Nezumi who had beaten his master, won the Battle Nexus Championship, and apparently trained two impressive warriors, leave. He hoped the Nezumi's discussion with the Daimyo went well. Usagi stiffened when he noticed the Daimyo's son watching Splinter go too.

If he was really worried about Leonardo, shouldn't the Daimyo's son be following Splinter to add his concerns to the discussion with his father? If not, shouldn't he be watching over Leonardo's recovery? Speaking of which, Usagi himself looked back to Leonardo lying on the mat feeling somewhat guilty for not doing so already. Still, he was trained to watch doorways, and windows, and people not acting like themselves.

Donatello's voice captured his attention. "What can I do to help?"

Usagi looked to the healer who Donatello had addressed. The healer gazed down at Leonardo while stroking his beard. "I must discover both the identity of the exact poison itself and the manner in which it was introduced into his body before I go too far in his treatment."

Donatello continued speaking in the strained, slow, and somewhat comical manner he'd used to ask Usagi about the healer's actions earlier "How. Can. I. Help. With. That?"

The healer nodded. "You can bring his fever down while I consult my records on poisons. I have not had to treat many poisoned warriors before. Using a poison in a Battle Nexus Tournament match is forbidden. It would not be wise for me to go forward in this warrior's treatment without consulting others more experienced in the ways of poisons than I am, or at least without consulting their writings."

The healer left to consult those writings. His patient's brother watched him go. Usagi, in turn, warily watched Donatello.

The purple-wearing kame stood straight and stiff like some did just before lashing out, but Donatello then spun in place instead eyes searching. He stopped, rushed to a nearby pitcher of water resting in a basin with a towel hanging over its rim, grabbed these, and ran back his brother's side. There, he knelt, placed the cloth in the basin, and poured water over it. He then pulled the soaked cloth out, wrung it, and placed it over the other kame's brow. Usagi smiled. Leonardo had a good brother indeed.

The rabbit Samurai glanced back to the Daimyo's son still wondering what his place was here. The "Ultimate Ninja" now gazed in the direction the healer had gone. Usagi raised an eyebrow at this. "Do you wish to help the healer gather and consult his scrolls? Four eyes and hands could do such work swifter than two."

The Ultimate Ninja turned his gaze upon him. Usagi thought a glare flashed over the warrior's face. Honestly, it looked far more familiar there than his look of concern. The ninja's expression became mild again so fast, Usagi almost thought he'd imagined the other expression. "I fear I must learn my father's wishes in this matter. After he speaks with the r … to Splinter san, he will surely have new orders for me. But I will bring up your recommendation."

The Daimyo then left the same way the old Battle Nexus Champion had gone. Usagi watched wondering why his spine prickled.

. . .

Usagi began to feel the same strain of impatience he was certain tightened inside Donatello. The healer had been consulting his scrolls on poisons for what felt like a long time. Usagi glanced outside. The sun had barely moved since they'd arrived, but seconds counted when treating wounds, and the ill, and the poisoned. Leonardo's only treatment, thus far, had been his brother bathing his brow with a wet towel. Usagi would have taken a turn if he hadn't feared Donatello would beat him off with his boe staff if he asked.

Usagi struggled within himself. It made sense the master healer of the Battle Nexus Tournament did not get much practice treating those who'd been poisoned. The safety measures prevented warriors from receiving deadly wounds during the tournament. Warriors injured during the tournament were sent to the less knowledgeable healers, because there was no need for them to see the master healer, usually. Also, as the healer himself had stated, most warriors injured during the tournament did not suffer from poisoning. Using poisons was wisely against Battle Nexus rules. But Leonardo had been poisoned, he was not recovering, and the best healer in all the land was not treating him, yet.

Usagi was not a healer. He had some training and much experience, but he was "not" the best healer in the land. He did have some experience with poisonings and assassinations, however. It had been his duty to protect others from such things many times. Yet, usurping the master healer's position felt wrong to him. There was one thing he could do that might help without putting himself in the healer's place, though. Usagi closed his eyes.

_Leonardo was staring down at him. He was pressing down on their crossed swords, clenching his jaw and sweating with the effort. Usagi pushed up doing the same. Their blades were locked in combat. Walls surrounded them. Inside these barriers they were alone, though a crowd loomed outside. Usagi neither saw nor heard a sign of anyone else near them …_

So, who had hurt Leonardo if not him? Had the kame swallowed, breathed, or touched something placed their earlier to poison him? Others had fought in that arena before them. He had fought there with him. He felt no need to be treated for poisoning. No one else had come here for that. Besides, placement with another combatant in another section of the arena was supposed to be random.

Usagi went over the bout again, thinking, remembering, seeing. Leonardo had taken some deep breaths, but he had not let go of his swords to touch anything else … The swords! Leonardo had handled them long before anything appeared to happen to him, but … they were one thing only the Gyoji and he had touched. "Have Leonardo's swords been checked for any poisons that could soak through his skin?"

Donatello looked up at his words. Then he looked to the healer. The latter did not even look up from the scroll he stared at. "His hands show so sign of that and the Gyoji is very thorough. He should have already examined the swords and contacted me about any tampering with them before now in his investigation of this matter."

Usagi bowed his head and thought again. He'd not witnessed Leonardo eat or drink since their meeting in the Pavilion of Champions, but Leonardo had been out of his sight since then. "Donatello?"

The Kame wearing purple paused in applying the wet cloth to his brother's head. He glared at Usagi over his shoulder. "What?"

"Did your brother eat or drink anything just before entering the arena, or even earlier?"

Donatello looked back to his brother and continued with his work. "No. He hadn't eaten or drunk anything since our family last ate together. I've gone over it in my mind myself a dozen times. He didn't have anything father and I didn't have, and we both seem fine."

"Hmmmm …" Usagi admitted to himself this was a good point. The healer's voice made him turn.

"It was a good thought, Usagi san, but I am almost certain this particular poison was introduced directly to Leonardo's bloodstream. Now I must find out how, when his skin does not seem to be cut."

"Maybe you should check 'Usagi san's' swords."

Usagi straightened and clutched the hilts of "Willow Branch" and "Young Willow." Then he forced his form to relax. If he must allow an examination of them to clear his name and help Leonardo san, he must. He did not have to like it.

The healer's next words relieved him. "No, no … I can tell there is no cut in my patient's skin as weapons such as his would make. There is also no discoloration nor scent on my patient's hands of a poison absorbed through his skin through holding his own weapons coated with such would cause.

Usagi's slightly bunched shoulders fell. His sharp ears heard Donatello growl. The Samurai did not want to distract the healer again, so he stepped even further back into the shadows and went quiet. He closed his eyes again.

_Leonardo fought with him in the arena, jumping, swinging, blocking … Then they had their swords locked together. He stared into his face grimacing with effort. Then … Leonardo winced. Leonardo turned away. His movements had been off. He'd dropped his swords, he'd turned back to him, called out … and … then reached back over his shoulders as if … _

In his back? Unlikely, his back was covered with his shell. That route was a fool's way to attempt to poison a kame! Whoever they were dealing with, Usagi did not think them a fool in the ways of killing. So, if not in the back then … the back of the neck. But what could have ..?

Usagi closed his eyes and went back again to the moments before the wince had distorted Leonardo's face. What direction had the back of Leonardo's neck been exposed to? The wall, there were walls of stone parting them from the other warriors in every direction. And he hadn't heard any sounds coming from over those partitions. From where else could one have aimed at him as he stood there? The stands? No, the buildings! Yes, an assassin could have hidden in the shadow of the buildings there! But what weapon to shoot from there? An arrow?

Usagi dismissed the thought. Foolish! He would have seen an arrow himself. Everyone would have. It would have been obvious. A dart then? Yes, a dart "could" have made it all that way, but … where was it now? He should have seen it either sticking out of Leonardo or lying on the stone floor of the arena. The Gyoji should have seen it too. Donatello should have seen it … Unless …

He glanced to the healer still reading his scrolls. He, Usagi, was a warrior rather than a healer._ But …_

"Master Healer! You are needed at once! The Daimyo had been attacked!"

Usagi looked up. His heart dropped again. No … the Daimyo? The tall figure in a red robe was carried by his guards into a more secluded room in the back for care and the healer followed them in. Donatello's plaintive cry followed the others too. "But, what about Leo?"

The sliding door closed behind both healer and his new patient. Usagi looked back to the kame in purple kneeling next to the one wearing blue. The choice seemed taken from him then. Usagi moved forward.

Donnatello sighed as he looked down at the still sweating and not stirring Leonardo. "What can I do? I'm an engineer not a doctor."

Usagi knelt silently on the other side of his friend and reached for Leonardo's shoulder. His wrist was grasped. Donnatello thrust his face nearly into his. "Don't you even think about touching him!"

Usagi drew back slightly. Donatello, much to his relief, released him. The Samurai tried to keep his voice low and respectful. "Please … I only wish to examine your brother."

He was careful to call Leonardo "your brother," rather than "my friend," in case that would anger the kame warrior and … "engineer" further. Usagi decided to do the last thing he could to show his good intent toward Leonardo at this point. He turned away and took off his swords.

He dared not linger over the action. Time was of the essence. His hands tingled though as he let "Willow Branch" and "Young Willow" go, though. He was in a lesser known place. Enemies were about. He, like Donnatello, was unsure who to trust. Yet, he put his blades down. They marked so many good points, and less good points, in his life. They gave him comfort, a purpose, and protection. He wondered what battling Leonardo for the first and last time with them might count as later if this did not work. Likely it would seem a bad memory at first, and a good one later. Grief seemed to work that way.

Usagi then grabbed the lantern the healer had come back with along with his scrolls. Perhaps, he had realized it might be helpful later for the same reason Usagi thought it might be now. He turned back with it to his friend's side. Then he looked up to meet Donatello's gaze. "I mean no harm."

The kame in purple looked at him a moment longer with that hard, untrusting face … Though … Usagi had seen plenty harder and less trusting now that he thought of it. Then that hard expression melted away into a sad smile. The same could be said of the kame's voice. "Fine, but I'll be watching." He crossed his arms again. His voice and face grew a touch harder at these last few words.

Usagi held the lantern out toward the kame. "If you would hold this, like so."

Donnatello, whose arms had been folded looked to the lantern with slightly wider eyes. Then he reached out and took it. Usagi turned Leonardo over on his side. The Kame groaned at the movement, the most sound he'd made since he'd been laid down there.

Usagi made sure the back of his friend's neck was exposed to his sight. Then he brought out a prism he kept for this purpose. He looked up to meet the gaze of his friend's brother. "Observe." He focused the light from the lantern through the prism onto the back of Leonardo's neck. There it was, the outline of the puncture wound, very small, and not easily seen in the pattern of Leonardo's scales, but much easier to see in them than it would have been through fur.

Donatello sounded almost as amazed as he did angry. "What is it?"

Usagi's own face and voice grew hard as he met Donatello's gaze again. "It is the entry point of a dissolving poison dart, a rarely used weapon nearly impossible to detect even by a trained healer."

If not for his own occupation, he likely wouldn't have been able to detect it either. As a protector of those others would like to assassinate, though, it was good to know such things. He pulled forth some herbs he also kept for this purpose. "Now that we have located the source of the toxin, I have some medicine that might help." He paused and looked up at Donatello again. "With your permission?"

Donatello met his gaze. His own face was creased and pinched with tension. Then he nodded. Usagi looked down and applied the herbs to the puncture wound. He watched the poultice lie there, so seemingly benignly and yet so critically, against the warrior's skin. He glanced back up to that same warrior's brother. "All we can do now is wait." So, they both hovered over Leonardo.

**What did you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	4. Chapter 4

**While the earlier chapters were POVs of characters of scenes from the 2003 series episodes 2 and 3 of "The Big Brawl" storyline, this one is a possible "missing scene" in episode 3 from Donnie's POV. He wanted to have his say and show what happened between him and his brother's new friend. :)**

**I don't make any money from this. Please don't sue and enjoy anyway :)**

**Okay, so this used to be chapter 3 and now, because I decided to go chronological order rather than a POV pattern, it's chapter 4. Chapter 3 is now Usagi's POV of events right before this. **

Donnie wasn't sure what to think. This rabbit in traditional Japanese garb (from the feudal era of its history, he believed) spoke softly and politely. He'd found his brother's wound. Donnie couldn't see any sign of ill intent in him. Yet, he had been fighting his older brother when said older brother had keeled over. Who knew, but he was in on it, trying to gain their trust by doing this for Leo now. How could he know? To tell the truth, between the Daimyo's son, who'd tried to "kill" Leonardo not so long ago, being here, this place being where his sensei was supposed to have been attacked by a bitter-ex-opponent, and Leo reporting being attacked in the Pavilion of Past Champions earlier, was it any wonder he was a little paranoid right now?

Then the Daimyo himself, the friend of his father and their most powerful ally in the Battle Nexus, was just carried by him unconscious. Leo had been abandoned by the doctor who hadn't even been able to tell them anything beyond that Leonardo had been poisoned! Donnie liked to consider himself a turtle of logic, but he was beginning to freak out. And where were Raph and Mikey? Why weren't "they" here to share the worry? Were they still in the contest, with all this going on? Did they even know about any of this? And where was Father? He had to be done talking to the Daimyo, because the latter was here now, so where was he? He was still here alone with Leo, no other family nearby! What was he supposed to do?

"Your brother is an honorable warrior, Donatello san. Whatever happens, you should be very proud of him." A soft paw landed on Donnie's arm.

His head jerked up and spun around. "Wha ..?"

He met the gaze of this, Usagi, his brother's opponent suddenly turned his brother's new healer. The rabbit Samurai continued. "Your brother. I saw no sign of dishonorable tactics displayed by him, either during our bout in the competition or even while facing the assassins in the Pavilion of Past Champions. He is truly an honorable warrior and you should be proud of him."

Donnie looked away from the rabbit and back to his brother. "Oh. Yeah. I am." Donnie smiled to himself. "Leo's always been that way, honorable. I think he's worried he'd set a bad example for the rest of us if he wasn't."

Usagi's eyes widened. "There are more of you?"

Donnie nodded. "There are four of us, well five counting Father. There's Leo, Raph, Mikey and me. We're all brothers. Leo's the oldest. Our father made him our leader a long time ago, when Father's not around to lead us himself of course."

"Hmmmmm …" Usagi hummed to himself. He stared down at Donnie's unconscious brother. The spine in Donnie's shell quivered. He wanted to scoot between Usagi and his brother so he couldn't look at him directly anymore. The rabbit's next comment, or question, didn't help. "Your father is 'Splinter san' … Yoshi's pupil …"

Donnie sat up straight. He stared at the young rabbit. "You knew Yoshi?"

"No …." The Samurai shook his head, "But when my master brought me here and lost a bout to your father, he told me he'd also lost to Yoshi the year he competed." Usagi looked up at Donnie with a smile. "Your family is hard to beat, Don san."

Donnie smiled at him. "It's Donatello actually. Sometimes "Donnie." Father calls us by our whole names like you call Leonardo by his. Technically we are Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo, but we shorten our names when we talk to each other, my brothers and I, I mean."

"Ah." The rabbit sat up straight himself, lifting his chin from his hand. "That would explain why you call 'Leonardo san' 'Leo.'"

"Yeaaaaahhh …" Donnie turned narrowed eyes upon the other warrior. "You never told me how you knew, Leo."

The Samurai raised and cocked his head a moment. "My apologies. Our first meeting was but a short time ago. I was on my way to take part in the next phase of the Battle Nexus Tournament, when I heard the sounds of fighting before I expected to. The competition had not started yet and the sounds were coming from the 'Pavilion of Past Champions' not the arena outside. So, I investigated. I saw your brother in a fighting stance watching the shadows. For a moment, I wondered if he was mad, but then warriors like shadows themselves completely covered in dark clothing and wielding many different kinds of weapons leapt out from hiding to attack him. I was furious to see so many attacking one without weapons of his own. Though, I did see your brother grab a spear off a wall to protect himself with. It was obviously not his usual weapon."

"Master Splinter has us train with a lot of weapons, but spears …" Donnie scratched his head and shrugged. "Not as much as with other things. I think my staff is the longest weapons we've used. Anything longer can give you not much room to maneuver in the sewers."

Usagi was staring at him. Donnie shrugged, grinned, and said, "Please continue."

Usagi nodded. "As I kept myself out of sight while moving forward to intervene, I saw one of the assassins aim an arrow at Leonardo while he still fought off two others by himself. I was furious."

Donnie gave a sarcastic smile. "I can't imagine why."

Usagi shifted back on his heels his ears lifting, and eyes widening. Donnie looked at him in surprise. Then Usagi replied in a low voice. "My own Master … was killed by a barrage of arrows."

Donnie winced and drew away. "I … Iii'm sorry, I didn't know."

Usagi shrank before Donnie's eyes, bowing his head and bending his back where he knelt. "I … thought I could protect him from all the dangers around us during the battle all the blades of our enemies, but I failed to stop the arrows that day." Usagi raised his gaze enough to look at Leo. "Now I fail to protect my new friend from being poisoned."

Donnie reached out and laid a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "Hey … we're, my whole family's glad you helped save him in the Pavilion of Past Champions. If nothing else, you gave us a little more … time."

Usagi bowed his head further, but nodded. "Thank you, Donnetello san."

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	5. Chapter 5

**A missing scene from the third episode of "The Big Brawl" storyline of the 2003 series.**

Donatello continued watching the rabbit staring down at his brother. He was beginning to feel veeeeeerrrrry guilty. This fellow warrior might have just saved his brother's life, and even if he didn't, it "might" be because he had chased him away so long. Now that Donatello thought about it, there really wasn't much reason to have suspected him in the first place. The pairings of warriors during the "Battle Nexus Tournament" seemed randomized. Leonardo battling this guy when he was poisoned might have been the best luck they'd had all day.

The rabbit's next words startled and angered him. "Donatello … is the Daimyo's son a good friend of Leonardo's?"

Donatello flinched and sat up. "No! Well, at least, not until today. He challenged my brother to a mortal duel!"

It was now Usagi's turn to jerk in surprise. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Donatello. "He what?"

Donatello glared at Usagi, though the expression wasn't for him any longer. "He came to earth saying he'd been planning to battle "The Shredder." I wish he had, because it might have saved us having to deal with him, but he didn't. Leo had already taken care of Shredder, so he decided to battle Leo instead."

Usagi's eyes were wide as he stared back at Donatello. "And your brother beat him in this duel."

"Leo, yeah."

"Without killing him."

"Obviously."

Usagi looked back down at Leonardo. "Then your brother is more honorable than I thought. And in far more danger." He looked back toward where the Daimyo rested beyond the parting screen. "We all are …"

Donatello gazed back at him. He rested the back of his hand against Leo's brow. It was cooler. Then, he checked his pulse. It seemed stronger. He looked back to the rabbit and then pointed toward the ceiling. "Maybe we should talk further 'up' there."

The rabbit raised an eyebrow at him.

. . .

A short time later, Leonardo still lay on a mat in the main area of the healer's pavilion, but Usagi and Donatello sat in the rafters above him. "Now," Donatello continued, "what did you mean about my brother, and 'all of us' being in more danger than you thought?"

Usagi looked down at the floor far below them, but he seemed more ashamed than afraid. "I do not like talking about this, he is our honorable host's family."

"The Ultimate Ninja?"

"The Daimyo's son. I do not like thinking of him the other way."

Donatello decided to ignore that. "You think he had something to do with this?"

Usagi looked back up at him. "I think he had everything to do with this. The assassins who attacked your brother earlier were very ninja-like and very good. I imagine the rich, powerful, and connected are the most likely to have hired them."

"And the Daimyo's son is all three," Donatello replied, again ignoring the reference to ninja.

Usagi nodded. "As the father is, so is the son in many respects. The Daimyo has wealth, connections that span worlds, and the power to wield them all well. If he entrusts so much to the son … or …" Here the Samurai looked to the sliding walls hiding the Daimyo from them, "if the assassins were assured the Daimyo's son soon would be in control of all these things … they might have been eager to render their services to him."

"It's just a theory, a hypothesis really." Donatello looked down at the floor too.

Usagi nodded, "Not much to take to the Daimyo himself even if he were in the condition to hear it."

Donatello raised his head. "Still, it makes way more sense than anything else that's happened since we got here."

"But how to prove it?"

Donatello looked down at the floor again. "I think we only have to wait for them to prove it for us. The Daimyo's not dead, yet. Neither is Leo. They'll come back." He looked to Usagi. "You … don't have to wait with me for them to. You should probably go home."

Usagi had bent down to look at Leonardo still lying seemingly helpless to the eyes of anyone who walked in without looking up. His hand holding onto the beam to brace himself as he leaned down tightened its hold. He looked back up to Donatello. His glare was as hard as any Donatello had given him. "I will not leave the master of this realm that has welcomed me 'or' my new friend to be assassinated, not if I can help you prevent it."

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	6. Chapter 6

**Another "missing scene" from the "Big Brawl" storyline from the 2003 TMNT universe. From Usagi's POV again. **

**I own nothing, but please enjoy anyway. It costs you nothing and gives me no monetary gain, so please don't sue. ****:)**

Donatello and Usagi had barely time to drop down to the floor again, with the plan of checking on Leo's recovery and finding even more strategic spots to guard him and the Daimyo from, when the four guards who'd accompanied the Daimyo behind the screen came out again. Two left the healer's pavilion entirely, the other two stood guard at the doorway through the silk screens. Usagi approached them. "How is the Daimyo?"

The guards scowled at him. One answered. "We are not permitted to say."

Donatello approached them too stopping at Usagi's side. "Who attacked him?"

The guards gave him far deeper scowls than they had the Samurai. The one who answered him did so in an even deeper and stiffer voice than he'd used to answer Usagi. "We are not allowed to say."

Usagi and Donatello exchanged a glance. Usagi thought he saw the same fear in Donatello's eyes he'd felt in his own heart by being the one with Leonardo when he fell. Usagi tried to give the kame a slight smile. _I know you are trustworthy, Donatello. _

The Samurai looked back to the guards and bowed. "With your permission. We would also like to stand guard over the Daimyo 'and' Leonardo as well. Perhaps in places we are less likely to be seen by any who enter here?"

The guards exchanged a glance before looking back to them. "As long as 'we' know where you are, and we three know where 'that' one is." He pointed to Donatello.

The kame in purple flinched back at the words and gesture. Usagi reached out and laid a paw on Donatello's arm. "Yes … it is good to know where one's fellow guards are so you can coordinate your attacks together well."

Usagi then gently pulled Donatello away and over to his brother's side where they both knelt and checked him. Leonardo's breathing and pulse were stronger. Upon realizing this, Donatello looked back up at Usagi, then glanced over his shoulder at the guards and back to Usagi. _"What was that about?"_

Usagi looked to the guard too before returning his gaze. _"Perhaps our mutual enemy has already cast suspicion on those he wishes harm to."_ The rabbit looked back down at Leonardo still lying on his mat.

Donatello followed his gaze. Usagi noticed the other warrior slump. _"Greeeaaat …"_

Usagi reached up and placed his paw on his shoulder this time. "Do not worry, Donatello san. Spotless honor is like a spotless sword." He smiled up at the kame now looking at him quizzically. "They both shine out to reveal themselves in even the least ray of light."

Donatello gave him a warm smile. Then he looked up and around at their surroundings. "The light 'here' …" He raised his bow staff to gesture to the windows, "comes from there, there," he then turned and pointed toward the door with his weapon. "And there. So, we have to take places out of their sightlines and in places reflected light from them reach least."

Usagi raised his eyebrows at the kame. "You seem to know a great deal about this."

Donatello looked back down at him. His mouth twisted in discomfort. "We've had a lot of practice, my brothers, father, and I."

Usagi felt the hard stares of the guards behind them even before he glanced back and saw them too. He looked back to his fellow warrior in purple and placed a paw on his arm again. He met the kame's gaze steadily. "Then I will follow your expertise."

Donatello gave him the widest, warmest smile Usagi had yet seen from him. The Samurai found himself smiling back. Donatello looked around and pointed out a few likely hiding places before looking back to Usagi, "But, one of us should be looking out for the Daimyo directly," he glanced over at the guards. "And it shouldn't be me."

Usagi patted his arm. "You, look after your brother then, Donatello san, and I shall keep an eye on our host." He glanced back at the guards again, but neither seemed moved by this. It was then _just_ Donatello they treated in this manner. He frowned. His ears went back slightly. Then it was the rabbit who felt a hand on his arm. He looked up.

The kame was giving him an even gentler smile. "Thank you, Usagi." Donatello squeezed before letting go. "Keep a good eye on him. I just recently learned he's a good friend of Dad's, and …" Donatello looked away to the floor. "Our father doesn't have many of those." He shrugged, "Barely any."

Usagi raised his head, eyes wide. "Then I shall be even more motivated to guard well our good host."

Donatello looked back to him, smiled, and then leapt up into the rafters again. Usagi raised his gaze to watch him. The kame jumped about like a grasshopper through undergrowth before finding the shaded corner he'd earlier pointed out, which both left him a clear view of his brother, a slightly less clear view of the sliding door to the Daimyo's private area of the healer's pavilion, and quick access to rafters that would lead him to both patient's sides in a hurry.

_Yes, he's definitely done this before, _Usagi thought to himself. However, this ninja-like knowledge didn't bother him much somehow. He'd seen Donatello's reactions to him when he thought he'd harmed Leonardo and might harm him again, yet he had not killed him, or even injured him. He'd also barely left his brother's side.

Usagi had also seen this kame's teacher and brother in action. They both fought with great honor, determination, and the skill of both talent and the discipline to train many hours over many days. Besides, he had little reason "not" to believe Donatello's story about the Ultimate Ninja initiating a mortal duel with Leonardo. It felt very "in spirit" of the Daimyo's son to him. Yet, said Daimyo's son still lived.

"That" was a whole other layer of honor Usagi was not sure even "he'd" attained to let live one who appeared out of another world with the sole purpose to kill you in order to gain a greater reputation for himself. Usagi frowned as he made his way to a spot nearly over the Daimyo's head. He looked down at the old host of the Battle Nexus Championship. His gaze softened.

Still … could the Daimyo's own son truly be the one trying to kill the Daimyo? Would a son go that far … to kill a father? How little honor could one have?

Usagi thought of how Splinter had reacted to Leonardo's poisoning. He wondered how his talk …

Usagi's eyes widened. Where was Splinter? He had gone to speak to the Daimyo, and now here was the Daimyo in the Healer's Pavilion. That the old Nezumi had harmed him seemed absurd to the Yojimbo.

Why? What reason would there be? What would he have to gain? He'd have to fight many, many others in order to stage a coup of this place. Not to mention the time the Battle Nexus was flooded with skilled warriors of all different kinds, from many different worlds, but all owing the Daimyo something for giving them this place to test their skills and gain renown in was an "awful" time and place to start a war with the Daimyo.

Certainly, the tournament would give one an excuse to "be" here in the first place before making one's move, but Usagi thought the Daimyo and Splinter's friendship was such that would be unnecessary. He had seen the Nezumi sitting next to the Daimyo as they both observed the competition. Other than that, he saw no advantage in the timing at all for any coming from far away. For the Daimyo's own son though … as long as he was not caught, this was a perfect time for him to try such a thing. So many others, including the father of the warrior who'd beaten him, were now here to frame for his crime. Not to mention the warrior who'd beaten him was now here to kill. It all made more and more sense to the Samurai as he thought about it and his heart was heavy as he stared down at his host, perhaps even now so unaware of how deeply he had likely been betrayed.

**What did you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	7. Chapter 7

**The beginning of the attack on the Daimyo in the Healer's Pavilion from Donatello's POV.**

**I own nothing, I gain no monetary compensation for writing and posting this, please don't sue and enjoy. :)**

Donatello saw the little orbs fly through the windows and land on the floor. He watched them roll up in front of the guards, who drew their swords. Before they could do anything, one of the ball's exploded in a flash of light. Donnie heard the gas spilling out of that ball and probably the others. There was a cloud of smoke. He saw and heard the guards coughing. The turtle wondered first about what the compound being used was, whether or not it was lethal (once the guards collapsed) and then how high up it would rise. He took a deep breath just in case wondering if he could still do anything for the guards and if the risk was worth losing the element of surprise.

He noted the smoke rose about to the height of the guards, 5 to 6 feet, before dissipating. It also seemed to cling to the ground enough to go under the screens hiding the Daimyo and healer. Thankfully, the orbs had not begun releasing their gas until "after" they'd travelled well past Leo.

Two … "somethings" dropped to the ground. Don was surprised he hadn't noticed them climbing in the very rafters "he" was hiding among. His spot wasn't in direct line of sight of where they must have been, but he should have caught something out of the corner of his eye!

He studied them. Their clothing seemed to be one with them. Their eyes glowed red. They made not a sound upon landing. He had to admire their stealth if not their motives.

Then one stopped in front of Leo's feet, turned, and stared at the patient. Donatello had begun to move from his own hiding spot, when the other assassin turned to the one staring at Leo and spoke. "What are you doing? Our orders were to end the Daimyo's life."

Donatello flinched. He had known, or at least deduced this was their goal, but to hear it spoken so plainly out loud like that! And what was the other still doing in front of Leo?

The other assassin replied. "And so we shall." He stepped up to Leo's side and grabbed his katana. Donatello's mouth fell open. He gripped his hold harder at the sight of this enemy touching Leo's swords. Leo loved his katana. Would they kill him with them now?

Donnie loosened his grip, when the assassin turned away from his brother still holding Leo's blades. He threw one at his fellow assassin. "But we shall make it 'look' like the turtle creature finished the work his master started."

Donatello's mouth hung further open. _What? No! His "master" … "Leo's" master? Father?_

The memory of the now knocked-out (hopefully) guards suspicion of him earlier returned to Donatello's mind. The Daimyo, Leo's master, "as long as we three know where 'that' one is."

_Father! They'd framed Master Splinter. Why?!_

Well, he knew why. Get suspicion off you and cast it on someone you don't like, if it was the Ultimate Ninja behind all this. Knowing "why" didn't make him any less angry. Donatello clenched his jaw. He was going to "make" these two tell him who they worked for, and then make them tell everybody else if it was the last thing he did!

As they turned their backs to his hiding place, Donatello moved. Master Splinter's lessons rang in his mind. _Balance … Silence … Speed … The way of invisibility … The way of a ninja._

_Get ready assassins! You're about to face another ninja with a "different" agenda clearing his brother and father's names!_

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	8. Chapter 8

**I own nothing! Please just enjoy and don't sue. Enjoyment and satisfaction is all I get from it. (shrugs)**

He heard the sound of three balls rolling beyond the screen, and then the ring of blades being drawn. He saw the silauettes of the guards move. He heard the explosion and saw the smoke.

Usagi watched the guards collapse. Then he witnessed the movement of the smoke as it reached up to the healer. He also collapsed.

Usagi moved away and up from the rising mist, taking a deep breath before holding it. The rising darkness moved closer. Then the cloud stopped, retreated, and dissipated. Usagi was careful to release his held breath very slowly and silently. Then he listened.

The healer still breathed as did the Daimyo, which likely meant the guards did as well. The smoke should not have reached Donatello's hiding place at all. Usagi smiled.

His ears twitched as he heard voices behind the screen. They were none he recognized. "What are you doing? Our orders were to end the Daimyo's life."

Usagi scowled and gripped the hilt of one blade. Another voice responded. "And so we shall. But we shall make it look like the turtle creature finished what his master started." He heard the sound of a long blade moving through air and being caught in a hand. The image of Leonardo's beloved katanna lying by his friend's side flashed in Usagi's mind.

The Samurai's jaw clenched. He bared his teeth. _So, they had framed Splinter san, and now they plan on framing Leonardo! __Honorless, honorless assassins! _

His attention was caught by what looked like claws pulling apart the doors of the screen. Two of the assassins he'd seen before, or at least two very like them, strode in with steps he heard no sound of. Usagi's eyes widened slightly. He'd had the faint hope their earlier failure with Leonardo had foolishly convinced whoever had hired these assassins to dismiss their services and hire others. Apparently, no others were available in time, or the one who'd hired them was no such fool.

Usagi caught motion at the edge of his vision. He turned his head slightly. A large kame wearing purple, carrying a boe staff, and moving more like a mouse ran along a rafter toward him and these foes. Usagi smiled again. Then he saw the assassins approach the Daimyo.

He turned his full attention back to these three. The two assassins turned toward each other on either side of their intended victim. One thus had his back to Usagi's hiding spot, and that same one blocked the other's view of it. Usagi dropped from it and ran forward.

As Leonardo's blades came down, he drew his forth. He blocked both. A boe staff swung out and crashed into their legs. The assassins fell.

Now it was he and Donatello who stood side by side at the right and left of the resting Daimyo. Usagi moved into a defensive posture. The kame did the same. It was then the Samurai recalled how little he'd told Donatello of these foes. "Be alert, Donatello san. I have faced these assassins before, and they are extremely skilled and dangerous."

One had taken out a chain and began to spin it before tossing its weighted end at Donatello. Usagi turned his head slightly to watch the kame dodge it. Donatello ducked. Then he rolled toward his attacker. Leonardo's brother stood and attempted to break through the assassin's defenses with his boe staff. He managed it within three moves. After knocking his attacker away, he turned back to Usagi with a frown. "You could say that again."

Usagi thought that a strange and dull request especially in the middle of a fight for their and innocent lives. Still, he did not want to make Donatello angry with him again. Perhaps he hadn't heard him the first time?

"Very well." He turned to engage the second assassin even as he complied with Donatello's request. "They are extremely skilled and dangerous."

**God bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	9. Chapter 9

**I own nothing! Please don't sue! I also make no monetary gain from this. Please just enjoy for free. :)**

Donnie almost rolled his eyes at his fellow warrior/visitor/bodyguard. He didn't for two reasons. 1. He was in the midst of a fight, not the time to take your eyes off the ball. 2. It was really, mostly his fault.

He needed to remember this guy couldn't take a joke. Hadn't that more than awkward exchange about arrows earlier at Leo's beside taught him that already? He wouldn't be able to get the sight of Usagi's surprised, horrified face from his mind for a month if then.

As Usagi fought off the assassin armed with a spear with his katana and wakizashi, he "repeated" for Donnie, part of his earlier statement. Donnie could have kicked himself for replying to the rabbit's heartfelt warning with "You could say that again." Especially since he wondered if the Samurai's response to his response contributed to what came next.

Usagi held up a longer blade as he spoke to block the first blow of the spear aimed at him. He ducked a sweep made with the same. He jumped right over another aimed at his legs. And finally ducked a third as he finished his recitation of himself.

Then it happened. Usagi made an offensive strike with his katana, and it stuck in the spear's shaft. As he paused to pull it out, the assassin took advantage of the situation.

The assassin rolled the spear's staff with great enough force to pull the sword's hilt from Usagi's hand. And as the rabbit stared stunned at this, the assassin drove the same shaft back into the Samurai's head. The rabbit was knocked back out through the parting silk-screen leaving a jagged rip in his wake.

Donatello heard him hit the floor beyond the screen hard. The turtle cringed for a nanosecond. Then he chased his companion's flying body out, though he went through the door.

_Hoh-no! He did "Not" want to face these "extremely skilled and dangerous" assassins alone with the Daimyo and Leo's lives on the line!_

Once he was out by Usagi's side he noticed his new friend was not moving. As he glanced around, Donatello felt even more alone. There was no sign of his enemies. Then a chain wrapped around an end of his boe staff. It pulled it out of his hands. He looked up. The assassin with the chain was dropping down on his head.

Donnie jumped to the side just in time. The weight at the end of the chain cracked the pillar he's just been standing in front of! On landing, he found himself near shelves of healing supplies. The assassin tossed the end of his chain at him again. He dodged it again. Donnie grabbed a jar he'd been curious about the contents of earlier, pulled off its lid, and tossed the contents at his attacker. At this point, he didn't care "what" was in it!

As it turned out, the results were fairly effective. The contents were dark powder of some kind. While apparently not knock-out-gas, the unorthodox attack did cause the assassin to stop spinning his chain and protect his eyes. Donnie thought, what with the possibilities of what the mixture might be made of, this was probably altogether a good idea, except the defensive movement allowed the assassin's chain to wrap around him rather than anyone else. Then it was simply a matter of keeping him down. Donnie delivered a flying kick to the assassin's head to ensure just that.

Then he looked around for the second assassin. When he spied him, Donnie's eyes widened. He made one of those little sounds his father and Leo kept trying to get him to stop making when he was startled. They were very un-ninja like and almost always called attention to him. Not this time though. The second assassin was closing in on the Daimyo with that huge spear of his!

Donnie had to book it to the Daimyo's side to stop him. Thankfully, there was a very convenient short sword stuck into the spear's shaft. Donatello gripped it hard and locked his arms. This stopped the downward momentum of the assassin's weapon. Even as the assassin kept trying to force the spearhead down, Donnie used the struggle as an opportunity to imply the villain's second crime to his face. "I believe this belongs to my friend Usagi!"

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	10. Chapter 10

**I own nothing! Please don't sue! **

"I believe 'this' belongs to my friend Usagi!"

Usagi blinked. That was Donatello's voice. His new friend, brother of his other new friend, was still locked in combat over the Daimyo's life! The Samurai rose and looked around. There! Donatello's staff.

He picked it up as he rose. Then he raced to put it to good use. He swept the assassin's legs out from under him like Donatello had, so the foe fell to his knees. Then he slammed the staff into his chest to send him back from the Daimyo.

Usagi looked up at his fellow warrior with a grin. "And I believe I have something of yours Donatello san!" Donnie smiled back. Then they tossed each other their weapons.

Ahhhh … Despite the truth of what he'd told Leonardo earlier about having to make every weapon you used a part of your body, having both of his "own" blades in his hands was an experience like no other! "Willow Branch" and "Young Willow" were like no blades ...

Donatello jumped at the assassin with the spear. He began to go on the offensive exchanging blows while also delivering questions. "Why did you attack the Daimyo? Who are you working for?"

Usagi had to turn from this sight. The assassin with the chain had returned. He approached him possibly because he stood nearer the Daimyo than Donatello did.

Usagi cut the assassin's weapon in half with his blade. The assassin switched tactics by using both chains in a new attack. He tossed both weight ends of the now two chains at Usagi's head. Usagi dodged through the chains while flying at his foe. Then he leapt over the assassin's head. Upon his landing and turning to face his opponent again, the assassin's chains wrapped around him pinning his arms. Then they spun his body so his back was to his attacker. Usagi flung his upper body forward. The assassin went flying over his head. While he was still in the air, Usagi flung his upper body back sending his foe around in the air and into shelves of healing supplies. After crashing into them, the assassin fell to the ground. Many boxes fell on top of him.

Even while locked in combat with the spear-wielding assassin, Donatello san noticed this. He turned his face away from his own fight to speak. "Easy Usagi, we can't get information out of them if they're out cold!"

Usagi slipped out of the now lax chains. Then he held up his hands and gave his friend a chagrinned smile. "My apologies, Donatello san."

He felt especially apologetic when the distraction of reprimending him apparently became too much for Donatello's split attention. The assassin with the spear used the his friend's moment of inattentiveness to send him flying. Then the assassin moved toward the Daimyo.

Usagi leapt forward. He landed between his fallen blades, picked them up, and leapt again. As the spearhead came down, Willow Branch and Young Willow blocked it. He shoved the spear upwards breaking the assassin's hold on it. Then Donatello slammed into him with his boe staff sending the assassin hurtling to the side.

On his landing, this assassin remained conscious. Donatello held him down with his boe staff pressed across the assassin's chest. Usagi decided to do his part to make up for knocking his own opponent unconscious. "He" would ask the question this time. "Now, tell us who you serve assassin or face the wrath of my blade." He pointed "Willow Branch's" tip down at the assassin's chest to make his point clear.

The assassin looked over Donatello's head and squinted. The kame in purple twitched in nervousness. "Usagi, do you get the feeling he knows something we don't?"

Usagi heard the sound of many feet landing behind them in chorus. Either the combined sound was too much even for these assassins' stealth skills, or they simply didn't care anymore. He feared the latter.

Usagi's eyes slid to the side. Could he see those approaching without letting them know? No, he could not. He turned fully around to see who stared at him. He counted them.

Eight.

He and Donatello had had to fight hard just to defeat two. "Donatello. I get the feeling we are in for the fight of our lives." As Usagi said this, four assassins jumped down from the round ledge under the windows. Yes, they were in for the fight of their lives.

The kame came to his side as another two, new assassins landed behind the first pair. The Samurai spoke swiftly to his new friend as he lowered his swords into a block and backed up slightly into the doorway. "We must protect the Daimyo!" All capturing and questioning opportunities were now gone perhaps forever. Survival and protecting their host could be their only priorities.

"And if we can't?"

It was a good question considering the odds. Usagi put all the courage and honor he had into his reply. "Then we shall perish with honor."

The kame twirled his staff as he replied, "Let's try to leave the whole 'perishing' bit out of it, okay?"

Usagi had thought that obvious. Of course, he was a traveling ronin whose Shogun and parents were dead. Only a few scattered friends in his homeland would mourn him if he fell, and perhaps these two kame if they survived. This kame, though, had a living father (he hoped) and three living brothers, (he also hoped). Usagi supposed their perspectives would be a little different.

Still, the kame did not run. He stayed at his side guarding the way to the Daimyo with him. A swell of pride flooded Usagi's chest for Donatello's courage.

Then their foes were upon them. They attacked many at a time. He could just force one backwards at a time. A few seemed to leap back themselves while another leapt at him. Now there was one on both sides of him. He hopped back almost into the back of an assassin Donatello was fighting. He was also flanked on both sides.

Donatello leaped out of those two's reach only to be flanked by two more. Apparently the last two deemed him the lesser threat. Usagi noticed they let the two, new attackers handle the kame and came his way instead. It'd been a few days since he'd fought more than four at a time. Good practice for him if he survived.

A fifth turned from Donatello even as the kame sent the last coming at him flying backward with a blow from his staff. Usagi didn't have time to keep track of his friend's movements as he blocked the flurry of attacks sent his way. They were coming from all sides. He feared soon the time it took for him to turn would mean his death!

He heard his friend's voice from beyond his circle of foes. "Usagi think fast!"

How did the kame think he'd survived thus far? Usagi ducked and rolled in case the kame meant to aid him. "Many" of Donatello's attacks were hard blows meant to send his enemies far, far away.

To Usagi's surprise, one of the healing pavilion's mats flew into some of his foes leaving him only one to deal with. Then another mat took that one out as well. Donatello used not only true weapons, but things not weapons to tackle foes and it worked. Usagi made note of this.

Then a beautiful sound drew his and especially his friend's attention. Leonardo groaned. Leonardo moved! He raised a hand to wipe at his face. This was his greatest movement since leaving the arena. It was a very good sign.

Apparently, Donatello knew this too. The largest grin Usagi had seen on the kame in purple's face covered it then. "Leo ..."

Donatello's foe took advatage of his joy. The assassin the kame had just knocked down and away flew at him. Before Usagi could warn him two assassins were on him as well. They were back to fighitng. Or at least, he was.

Donatello went flying through his line of sight. He heard him crash hard into something. It might just be him now. He knocked his two attackers back just in time to look up and see four assassins crawling into the private healing chamber. "The Daimyo!"

He got in the doorway in time to see one had raised his sword over his host. "Stop assassins!" Thankfully, his voice got that one's and all the others attention.

He launched himself, stepping over the raised shaft of a spear one held to block him and into their midst. He kicked another in the face sending "him" flying back. One gestured with a spear at him. He snarled back. The one with the spear came at him. He fended off his blows and kicked him in the side as he passed him. That assassin flew back into a column. Then another came at Usagi. He sent him into the other and the column as well causing the first to drop his spear.

He heard a sword being drawn and turned his attention toward the sound. He fought two assassins with swords at the foot of the Daimyo's mat. Then two more approached, one with a sword and one with a chain. He had not forgotten the feel of chains around him yet.

He fought those two with flying kicks meant to pull their defenses upward, maybe giving him an advantage of his landings, which did work once. Two more came up as well. He thought he saw a fifth with a sword approaching out of the corner of his vision, but could afford to pay him no mind yet.

Then that one fell back onto the floor. The other assassins paused to take in their companion's state. Usagi took that moment to glance up. Donatello stood there. He grinned at him, placed his fist in his other palm, and bowed to him. Usagi smiled back. The kame who'd been so suspicious of him earlier now honored him.

Usagi heard metal whistling through the air at his back. He turned. A weight at the end of a chain flew toward him. It hit him driving him off his feet, through the air, and into a column. Then that same chain wrapped around him. He was bound. He flexed against the chains. All he accomplished was a pain that caused him to drop his swords. "Willow Branch" and "Young Willow" lay out of his reach on either side of his feet.

He raised his head and scowled at his foes. One with a spear said, "Time to skewer the rabbit," and came toward him. He lowered the spear to bring it more even with his belly Usagi assumed.

Donatello cried out to him from nearer the doorway. "Usagi! Nooooo!"

The assassin raised the spear as he drew closer. It was now even with Usagi's head. So, at least he meant to make it a quick if messy end. Would Donatello and Leonardo survive this? The Daimyo likely wouldn't. Usagi scowled deeper at this thought.

Others crossed his mind. Katsuichi who had first brought him here and taught him so much. Lord Mifune already gone as he would soon be too. He hoped he'd be proud of his Samurai. Tomoe Ame and her Lord Noriyuki, the first so beautiful, so fierce, and so skilled, the other so young and niave, yet trying hard to be all he had to be to lead his people well. They would mourn his passing. He feared for them both when he could no longer be of aid to them. And of course, Gennesuke. He might just be mad enough to tear something up upon learning of his death. Usagi wondered if his friend would even remember to collect or pay his winnings or losses on that bet.

The last face to come to mind surprised him. He hadn't seen it in years. Mariko. Those more curved, white ears and large, brown eyes staring at him. He hoped Kenichi made her happy. He never would have, he knew. At least, she didn't have to be a widow now. She'd better not be or he and Kenichi would have words!

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	11. Chapter 11

**I own nothing, so please don't sue! Just enjoy, for free. I make no money.**

It was his brother's shout that again cut through the darkness and sludge of his mind. He was yelling something to Usagi. Why would Donnie yell something to Usagi? He didn't sound angry anymore. His cry sounded … urgent ... like … they were in battle together ...

Leo fought through the darkness to learn what was going on. As he became more awake, he found his face felt … moist? He cracked his eyes open. Water got into them. He tried to raise his arm to deal wipe them. It hurt. Oh, man! Why did "Every" fiber of his body "hurt?"

Then he heard Donnie's voice nearby again. "Leo …"

Why did he sound so relieved? Had he really scared him "that" much? The memories washed through Leo's mind then ... a sting in his flesh followed by a burning. He had turned away, dropped his swords, called out to Usagi, and fallen on his face … Afterwards, he'd heard Donnie's angry voice. Oh yeah, he had scared his little brother that badly. "He'd" have been scared if it had been "Donnie" doing all of that instead of him.

Leo heard his brother's cry followed by a crash. A crash? Was Donnie hurt? Before he could make himself move to find out, he heard the sound of swords clashing nearby. A fight.

He remained still. Father would kill him if he did otherwise. One thing their teacher had drilled into them, well, most of them, was not to draw attention to yourself until you knew what the situation was. He heard the sound of the fight fade as the "thump" of many bodies landing on the floor echoed back to him. He felt the slight vibrations through the floor along with the sounds of it too. He seemed to be lying on a mat.

Who had fallen? Had Donnie? Usagi? The latter seemed unlikely as he heard the Samurai's voice next. "The Daimyo!"

The Daimyo? What had he to do with all this? He was in trouble? Father … father called him "old friend ..." Father didn't have many of those. Leo began to try to take inventory of himself as he lay there. He had to help, soon.

The sounds of battle came to him again, farther away this time. As far as he could tell, he didn't feel a broken limb. He felt that exhaustion you have after a fever, a flue. So, he wasn't that bad off … was he? He felt like he was in the recovery stage. What "had" stung him anyway?

A body crashed near him. Just behind his head. Whose?

Then, a hand touched him. The hand seemed familiar. Three fingers, faint scent of motor oil, but the palms and fingers were not large and rough enough to be Raph's. Their touch was too gentle too, delicate, like one used to working with small, fragile things. Donnie. And he was being very, very careful, tender even. He had scared his intelligent, little brother.

Then the touch was gone. He felt the air move as his brother left and headed toward the sounds of fighting. Leonardo recognized the battle cries sounding along with the sword clashes as those of the rabbit Samurai who'd saved his life, perhaps twice now.

Okay. He really had to get up. He blinked, and then moved. He bit back a groan. As he stood and turned toward the sounds of fighting, he noticed a hole in a nearby silk screen. That might be useful.

He walked toward it. As he watched his feet to make sure they cooperated, he noticed something lying on the floor, Donnie's staff. He'd have to remember to tell his little brother to keep ahold of it better if they both survived this. He picked it up and put it down through the belt wrapped around the back of his shell between his katana sheaths, which were now empty. Where were his swords? He could use them right about now.

Leo carefully moved through the tear in the silk screen. It was a tight fit. He thought he heard it tear further. The sound seemed mostly covered by his friend's battle cry, though. First thing he noticed when he was fully through, and he looked down at his feet again, were two, familiar katana lying on the floor. Nearby them lay the head of the seemingly passed out Daimyo. "WHAT" was going on?!

He glanced to the side. Usagi was still fighting. He was fighting alone the assassins they had fought together in the Pavilion of Past Champions!

Leo knelt slowly, wincing and biting his lip all the way. He picked up his swords and edged back into the shadows. He didn't think Usagi or the dark assassins had noticed him, yet. Where was Don?

Leo slipped past the Daimyo's head, noticed a low-lying rafter above his own, and pulled himself up onto it. Ow. That hurt. A lot.

He stayed still a moment barely daring to breath both for the sound and pain it would cause. Then he heard another sound. A body thumped to the floor. He opened his eyes and looked in the direction the sound had come from. He saw everyone else from Usagi to the assassins were doing the same. There, standing strong behind the prone figure lying across the floor, was Don.

His little brother smiled at Usagi. Then, he … bowed to the Samurai. Leo couldn't see the expression the Samurai gave back to his brother, but he was proud of Donnie. The scientist, slash engineer, slash ninja-in-training had obviously seen past his earlier suspicions and passionate protectiveness to see Usagi's true heart. It was much like Donnie's own really: devoted, fair, honorable. Leo didn't know why he was surprised by any of this. Donnie almost always dug into things thoroughly until he got a clear answer to his questions. He wondered how these two had dug together while he'd been out.

Then Leo heard a rattle and whistling sound he hadn't missed at "all." He turned his head knowing what it was, having to see who it was aimed at. One of the assassins threw the end of his chain at Usagi. Leo held his breath.

Usagi turned, but not in time. The chain's weighted end collided with him. He was sent flying back several feet to collide with a column holding this place up. Then the chain returned to wrap around and secure the Samurai to it.

Leo's eyes widened. Then he began to move, silently, despite the ever increasing protest from every part of his body. He got closer to Usagi. He even went around the column the Ronin was chained to, nearer to Donnie. Maybe the assassins would consider Usagi not a threat anymore and go after Donnie full force now.

He heard a clang as he moved, or rather two very close together. He turned back upon reaching the spot he'd wanted to and saw Usagi had dropped his swords. Leo also saw an assassin with a spear lower its point at the Samurai. A low, guttural voice from the figure said, "Time to skewer the rabbit."

Usagi bared his teeth and leaned into his bindings as if to get nearer the assassin coming to kill him. Leo heard Donnie's voice cry out "Usagi! Nooooooo!"

They really had gotten close. How long had he been out? What had happened? No time to think about that now!

He dropped. Neither Usagi, nor the assassin about to kill him, seemed to notice until his katana stopped the downward strike. Then he raised a foot and kicked the assassin back from his friend. Usagi gave a satisfied "huh," and "Glad you are feeling better Leonardo san."

Leonardo found himself out of breath after just "that" bit of effort. Still, he recalled now how hard breathing at all had become back in that time of "less than restful" darkness. It had been almost sleep, but he'd been too aware of his desperate state, too afraid he'd never wake up again, for it to truly be sleep.

He turned back to Usagi and smiled sadly. "Maybe not 'better' but at least I'm breathing." He took a few steps back to his friend and brought one of his katana's down "hard" on the chains. They broke. Huh. Maybe he was better.

Usagi lifted his arms and looked at his hands a moment. Then he slipped a foot under his longest blade and flipped it up catching it in midair. He held it low and began to stalk toward the sounds of battle. His face was hard, so was his voice. "Good, then let us finish these foes."

Leonardo turned to the sounds of a fight already engaged. "Donnie!" His brother was fighting impressively hand-to-hand. He also used his elbows. Leo was proud of him. He thought father would be too. Still, he believed Donnie would appreciate the gift he brought him. He took out his brother's boe, cocked his arm back, and threw. "Incoming!"

Donnie grabbed his boe out of the air, turned and used it to block a pair of swords an assassin brought down at him. Usagi used his own particular battle style of mostly sword swipes and jump kicks against another assassin armed with a spear. As soon as he'd fought back that one, another came at him with a sword. Usagi met it with his own and pushed his attacker backwards. Then Donnie launched himself at both Usagi's attackers and landed on their weapons, boe-first thankfully.

Then two assassins came at Leo, and he had to concentrate on his own fight. He found himself using his katana on either side of his body against foes coming at him from both sides. He only had to do this for a moment though. He managed to push back one. Then Donnie came flying in to take the other out with his foot. Wow. He and Usagi "both" must have really scared Don. Donnie could fight, sure, but not usually like this.

Suddenly, they three were standing together in front of the sleeping Daimyo's feet. Usagi, his new best friend now having saved both him and his brother, stood on his left. His aforementioned gentle, little brother Donnie, who'd just saved them both by fighting fiercely as a tiger, stood on his right.

Their four foes backed up together into a small crowd too. The two groups stared at each other a moment. Then … the assassins jumped into the shadows and left.

It took some time to sink in. He, Usagi, and Donnie kept glancing up nervously into the shadows, but … nothing. No one came at them again there. It was just them and the Daimyo lying peacefully and seemingly breathing deeply just behind them. Donnie looked back at him and Usagi his eyes wide and mouth agape. "We won!"

**What do you think?**

**God Bless **

**ScribeofHeroes**


	12. Chapter 12

**Characters, settings, and situations are from the 2003 TMNT series episodes "The Big Brawl parts 1-4." I do not own them. Please enjoy anyway free of charge since I don't want to make any money from this. Because of the latter fact, please, true owners of these episodes, don't sue me!**

**Missing scene from episode 4. **

Leo smiled and laid a hand on his little brother's shoulder. "We won, Don."

Usagi's soft voice came from behind them. _"The Daimyo …"_

Leo turned to see the Rabbit softly tiptoeing up to the side of the old man, or old whatever kind of powerful being he was. Usagi knelt down next to him. His eyes crinkled in concern.

Donnie's head snapped around. His eyes seemed to search for something. Then he looked back to Usagi. "Where are the healer and guards? I haven't seen them since a few minutes after the smoke cleared. They couldn't have moved off so soon by themselves, could they, Usagi?"

Leo felt his stomach squeezed by a familiar fist. He looked to his little brother. "Smoke?"

Donnie answered his spoken and unspoken questions. "Just knock out gas. Didn't touch Usagi or me just took out two guards and a healer."

Leo looked to Usagi who'd drawn back the Daimyo's coat to examine his chest. "I believe, Donatello, I recall my sensei telling me when he first brought me here that if a guard, healer, or servant of the Daimyo fell asleep on duty, after they stayed asleep a certain amount of time, they would disappear from their posts and reappear in cells like many lawbreakers here. The process is much like what happens to those defeated in the Battle Nexus Tournament, when they disappear in the arena and reappear in the Recovery Pavilion."

Donnie made a face. He raised a hand to scratch at the back of his head. "Yeesh. That's … harsh."

Usagi raised his gaze and stared at Don with narrowed eyes. "Falling asleep on duty is a very serious offense Donatello, whether it is a soldier standing guard against assassination of his lord, a healer watching over a patient hovering on the edge of death, or a servant watching a fire to make sure it neither goes out nor escapes, the one charged with such a task can be the difference between life or death for others. In this case, the measure might have saved the guards' and healer's lives. They could not fight back when the assassins came for the Daimyo nor get out from under our feet as we fought."

Leonardo broke in with a tense voice. "The guards and healer will be punished then?"

Usagi looked back to what Leo assumed must be a wound of some sort on the Daimyo's chest. "I think the circumstances of the ninja assassins using the smoke against them being the cause of their sleep will be taken into consideration. The Daimyo is known for kindness and mercy. I believe they will not be."

Leo nodded and swallowed before asking. "How is he?"

Usagi sat up. "He needs his bandages changed." Leo noticed his friend looked next to his brother. "Donatello, could you go out and gather the necessary supplies for me to do so?"

Donnie smiled. "Of course." He turned and rushed out. Leo tried first to lean back to watch Donnie through the open doorway. When that didn't work he took a few steps backward until he could.

Usagi's voice startled him. "You make a very good guard, Leonardo san."

Leo smiled without taking his eyes off his brother. "Thanks, Usagi." Then he frowned in thought. "How long have I been here in the ..?"

"The Healer's Pavilion, Leonardo san."

"Yeah … thanks again … how long has it been?"

The Samurai glanced up at the window the light he examined the Daimyo by came through. "I would say less than four hours, Leonardo san."

Leo felt his own eyes widen. "What's been happening all that time?"

Donnie snorted and called out from where he was gathering healing supplies. "What hasn't?"

Usagi's head shot up. He sent a narrow-eyed, quizzical look in Don's direction. The Samurai raised his voice and enunciated carefully. "None of us have died here during that time, Donatello san."

Curious, Leonardo looked from Usagi to his brother. Donnie paused as he reached for something to slump and shake his head. Then he straightened and raised his head again before picking something up and putting it in the crook of his arm.

Leonardo smiled. Then he turned back to Usagi and saw "he" was now on the end of the Samurai's inquisitive and somewhat disappointed gaze. Leo's smile fell away. "I'm sorry Usagi. You're right. None of us died. And that's something to be grateful for all things considering. Domo arigatou for your part in that, my friend."

Usagi gave a small, relieved smiled. "You are welcome, Leonardo san."

Leo reached up and touched a place in the back of his neck. Ow. "What caused me to pass out earlier anyway?"

Usagi's face went straight and serious again. "A dissolving poison dart. Almost impossible to detect. Whoever aimed it at you wanted you dead under mysterious circumstances, Leonardo san."

Leo frowned to himself. "I think I know who." Then his eyes widened. "Wait … how am I still alive then?"

"It was all Usagi."

Leonardo spun to see his quiet-stepped brother at his side with an armload of healing supplies. He carried these past him and placed them down beside Usagi. The Ronin smiled at them. "That was fast work Donatello especially for one unfamiliar with these surroundings." He began to reach for something in the pile.

Donnie sat up and stared at the Samurai. "Are you kidding? What did you think I'd be doing while trying to lower Leo's temperature? I studied the shelves trying to figure out where everything was in case any of it was needed to save Leo, or Splinter, or anybody!"

Leo smiled somewhat sadly. His intelligent, prepared brother always looked to prepare the next thing so they'd all be safe in an emergency. Then Leo frowned to himself. It wasn't usually "him" his little, brainy brother was worried about, though.

Usagi nodded to Don as he worked over the Daimyo. "It was a wise thing to do indeed, Donatello san."

Leonardo frowned and stuck out his chin toward the Daimyo. "How is he?"

Usagi bit off a length of bandage before he replied. "The wound seems to have been caused by the slash of a blade rather than a stab from one." Leo nodded. That could be good. He listened as his new friend continued. "They were aiming to give him a cut that would cause him to bleed out, I believe. If that is the case, they only nicked what they meant to slice through. This could have still been deadly had he not gotten the quick attention he did. The healer also caused him to fall into a deep sleep, which is why he did not wake during the battle for his life."

Leo gave a sigh of relief. "So, if that was how the Daimyo was saved, how was 'I?'"

Usagi gave a soft smile. "Donatello exaggerates my role in that and neglects his own."

His little brother gave a quick burst of disgusted air through his lips. Leo smiled softly. Usagi continued. "He helped by bringing your temperature, which was spiking, down while the healer consulted his scrolls on common poisons and how they are delivered. However, when the Daimyo arrived, he immediately became the healer's priority. I then stepped in to see if I could prove my own guess as to what had poisoned you."

Donnie jumped in. "'Usagi' found the source of the poison within minutes. He might have done so within seconds if I hadn't kept trying to stop him from even touching you ..."

Leonardo's head jerked up. Donnie's head was hanging and his eyes were closed. His hands were clasped together in his lap too. Don had not just been scared. He now blamed himself for not letting Usagi help him sooner.

Leonardo frowned. Before he could put words together to respond, though, Usagi replied in a gentle voice. "You were very worried for your brother, Donatello san, and I was fighting him before he fell in front of your eyes."

Leo jumped in and shook his head. "But that didn't mean anything, Usagi."

The Samurai looked up and met his gaze with a frown. "It meant much to your brother, Leonardo san. You are his 'leader,' and you fell while striking your blade against mine. 'I' would have felt the same way had it been my leader and family."

Donatello's head spun around to stare at the rabbit as the Samurai tore off another end of a bandage with his teeth and tied off what he'd wrapped around the Daimyo's chest. Leo nodded toward his patient. "Usagi, how do you think the Daimyo will be now?"

Usagi smiled. His voice sounded low, steady, and rich with triumph. "I believe he shall recover soon."

Donnie grinned, folded his arms over his chest, and tilted his head in his direction. "Like Leo, right after you put those herbs over the entry point of the poison dart."

Usagi shrugged his own eyes closing and head tilting away from Don. "Drawing a poison out with those herbs, especially when they are thoroughly dried, is a common remedy to many poisons introduced through the skin. Anyone in my profession should carry such a supply with him."

Leo's eyes widened slightly. "And what profession is that, Usagi?"

"A yojimbo."

"A bodyguard for hire?"

"Indeed, Leonardo san."

Leo nodded. Why was he not surprised?

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	13. Chapter 13

**Another short, possible missing scene from the last episode of the 2003 TMNT series storyline "The Big Brawl," from which I own nothing. Please enjoy anyway, it is free, because I make no money from posting it. :)**

After a few moments of silence, Usagi lifted his head and ears. His eyes seemed to pierce through the screen in the direction of the door. He stood to his feet and drew both swords. "Someone is coming, my friends."

Leo drew his katana. Donnie drew out his staff and held it up in front of himself. Leo's low voice asked the question, "Who?"

Usagi replied. "Someone with very large feet." His nose twitched. Then his eyes widened, "And … one who smells and walks like you." His ears twitched again "only his steps are louder."

Leo and Don glanced at each other. Then they lowered their weapons slightly and spoke together. "Raph."

Don raised an eyebrow. "Who would Raph be with who has large feet? Unless …" His eyes widened. "Traximus! Leo maybe he's with Traximus."

Usagi asked without looking away from the rectangle of light shining through the silk-screen, "Who is this 'Traximus?'"

Leo answered. "Another competitor in the Battle Nexus Tournament we met a long while before we got here. We fought with him in another arena where the stakes were much higher."

Usagi finally looked away to raise an eyebrow at Leonardo. "Much higher than 'this?'"

Donatello muttered under his breath in reply. "Believe it or not … yeah."

Usagi looked back through the screen again. "You must tell me this story if we live long enough and find a moment of peace."

Donnie broke in, "It's kinda long."

Leo continued, "And convoluted, and we don't have time for it now." He began to stride toward the doorway of the silk screen partitions. Donnie followed cautiously a few steps behind. Usagi moved until he stood facing them but remained just in front of the Daimyo's feet. All of the warriors still held their weapons, but low, not ready to attack in a second, but ready to raise them and attack in two.

Then Leo peeked around the edge of the doorway, waiting for Raph, or Traximus, or anybody to show themselves, friend or foe, or … Father! It was neither Raph, nor Traximus, but Splinter who entered first and immediately looked to the mat Leo had gotten up from minutes earlier.

Immediately, the rat's eyes enlarged, and his mouth opened. "NO! My son!"

Raph burst in. He stopped just beside and a little in front of their father, holding up his sai. And sure enough, Traximus, the Tricerton Alien, came in behind him holding his ax and baring his teeth, much like Raph was baring his. So, Leo smiled and stepped out. "Father, Raph, Traximus, it's alright. I'm here. So are Donnie, Usagi, and the Daimyo. We all just survived an assassination attempt on the Daimyo by fighting it off together."

Splinter rushed to him, eyes wet. Leo thought the old rat's movements a little stiff. It was as if he'd just been through something that "made his old bones ache" as he said, when it was just him and his sons, and sometimes April to hear him. Leo stepped forward and embraced him. His father embraced him back. He'd really scared everybody.

Then Splinter looked over Leo's shoulder. Leo glanced back himself. Donnie stood in the door frame of the silk screen smiling at them. Leo could only appreciate the sweetness of the moment for that moment, however.

Suddenly, he felt himself being crushed in Raph's embrace. The other turtle shouted in his ear making it ring. "Whatcha been doing getting yourself poisoned while I wasn't there to do nothing about it, bonehead?! Don't ever do that again! I'm warning ya this time around!"

A shadow fell over them both. Leo looked up to see Traximus towering behind his father and brother. The Triceraton still clutched his ax. His triangular, orange, three-horned and frill-backed face looking slightly relieved, though also serious. He stared down into his face. Leo felt his heart ache.

_Wow._ He had made "everyone" worry family and old friend alike. Leo next fixed his attention on his father who had drawn back and was speaking to him. "Leonardo, where is the Daimyo?"

Leo gestured with his thumb over his shoulder. "Back there, sensei. Usagi thinks he'll recover, but he had a pretty serious cut, when he got here. He's still resting."

The Rat's eyes looked a little wet, but his voice was firm. "I fear we must wake him, my son. Much has been happening. And I fear much is to happen still."

**What do you think now?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	14. Chapter 14

**Missing scene from the fourth episode of the "Big Brawl" storyline of the 2003 series from close third person Usagi's POV. I own nothing and make no money from this.**

Usagi listened to the family reunion from behind silk screens while standing guard at the Daimyo's feet. He noted out of the four kame brothers Donatello had told him of earlier, he had now at least heard the voices of three. He tensed upon wondering about the location of the fourth.

If the nezumi father, and at least one of his kame sons, had already become targets of this conspiracy against the Daimyo, could all three of the other kame sons have remained untouched? Donatello had fought against it. He'd been tossed about, but he still walked and spoke clearly. His scales were not discolored or pierced. What about the fourth brother?

Usagi saw the nezumi enter the private healing chamber. He bowed to him. The old warrior smiled at the sight. "My old friend! Thank you, for defending both the lives of my sons 'and' the Daimyo this day, as you once defended mine."

Usagi bowed to the nezumi again with a smile this time. Leonardo's head spun around to stare at his father. His voice took on a hard edge. "When did this happen?"

A third, taller, and darker green kame in a red mask stepped through the silk screen's door. "Yeah, it was Traximus and I that got you out of jail just now!" Leonardo and Donatello then "both" turned intense stares upon their brother.

Splinter answered with his smile undimmed. "That is true Raphael, but," the old rat nodded toward the Yojimbo whose eyes had also widened at Raphael's piece of news, "'This' is the young warrior who came to my aid, when I was attacked by shadow warriors and Drako the night after my first competition in the Battle Nexus Tournament three years ago."

The new kame in red added behind the nezumi. "You mean, after you 'won' the last Battle Nexus Tournament."

Usagi noticed Donatello and Leonardo stared at "him" with wide eyes now. Then Splinter spoke again. So, Usagi turned his attention back to him. "My old friend, we must waken and help the Daimyo take back control of the Battle Nexus. His own son came to me today, along with Drako himself, to brag of how they were both taking control of this place and would kill the Daimyo and my son Leonardo. That is why I was so worried."

Despite all earlier evidence brought up to indicate the Daimyo's son, Usagi's mouth dropped open. He was shocked a son would admit aloud to anyone, even a prisoner, he had attempted to have his father killed. He had also not imagined, yet, that Drako was involved. Three eventful years had passed since, but the night he'd first met and fought off the shadowy assassins and had had Drako's clawed hand wrap around his waist and lift his feet into the air remained a vivid, chill-inducing memory.

Still, Usagi sighed. "Splinter san, I hate to force our host, the Daimyo, to wake and rise from his mat in the condition he is now in."

A gnarled, clawed, yet soothing hand landed upon Usagi's shoulder and gently squeezed. "I know, Yojimbo, Samurai, I know … But just as the Great gain privileges like the protection of warriors such as you and my sons, they also gain great responsibilities, which require them to risk much themselves in order to set things right for others."

Usagi looked up to meet the nezumi's gaze. His eyes flooded with unshed tears, but he clenched both his jaw and fists and nodded. If the Daimyo's son "and" Drako were both grasping hold of all the power the Daimyo had once wielded so well, much was at risk. Fixing it was the responsibility of the Daimyo.

The only way he could rest, and yet all those he led remain safe, was if another usurped his power. And that, Usagi would not do, nor, it seemed, would any here. They must wake the Daimyo.

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	15. Chapter 15

**Usagi's POV of the climax of episode four of the storyline "The Big Brawl" from the 2003 series. Obviously, I own none of it. Please enjoy anyway. I make no money from this.**

Usagi turned and approached the head of the Daimyo's mat. Splinter followed right behind him. After going around the Daimyo's head and kneeling, Usagi looked across the Daimyo's chest to Splinter. The nezumi, having knelt on the opposite side of his friend, turned and motioned to the warrior with the heavy footfalls Usagi had heard earlier. "Noble Triceraton, you must help me get the Daimyo to his feet."

Traximus nodded his large, orange head and walked over to the Daimyo's side too lowering himself beside Usagi. The Samurai moved away to make room for him. Even as the other two creatures scooped up the Daimyo by lifting beneath his arms, Usagi slipped his hands under the Daimyo's head. He carefully supported it until it left his paws. He was simply not tall enough to lift it the whole way. Where his hands left off, though, two other pairs, green and three fingered, slipped beneath.

Usagi looked up to see a blue and a purple mask above his head. When the Daimyo was on his feet, Donatello and Leonardo removed their hands. Then their host began to lift his head on his own.

Splinter looked up at his friend. "Daimyo, I am sorry, but you must trust me and wake, old friend."

The Daimyo turned his face toward the nezumi. The ruler half-opened his eyes. "Splin-ter …" The Daimyo then smiled down at the furry face. "You are … alive … and free."

Splinter grinned up at his friend, though Usagi thought he saw Leonardo shiver and Donatello grimace. Usagi glanced toward the third kame, Raphael. His darker green face had twisted in rage.

Usagi looked back to Splinter. He was still grinning. "Yes, I am, Daimyo. Do not worry about me. There are far more pressing matters that require your attention. We are taking you to them now."

As they began to walk the Daimyo to the door of the silk screen partitions, the Daimyo shook his head and spoke a little louder. "No Splinter … I … I am sorry … You … my son . . ."

Splinter interrupted him. "Think nothing of that old friend, but you must trust us now. Conserve your strength. We will carry and lead you out of this place."

The Daimyo nodded. Then he let his head sag. Usagi marveled at this ruler's trust in the old warrior, even though it seemed well-deserved. They left the Healer's Pavilion and came out into the sunlight. Usagi thought he heard cheers from the crowd. Were the bouts of the tournament still continuing, even with the Daimyo in this condition? At least, if they sounded like that things could not be too bad before their eyes. Then the sound of the crowd changed from a roar of excitement to a collection of gasps and screams.

Usagi would have picked up his pace, but he felt the need to guard the back of perhaps the only person who could help. They turned a corner. Usagi's keen eyes saw something that caused them to widen.

There, in the last ring of the Battle Nexus Tournament was "Kluh" of dimension Levram. He was known to be a fierce, proud, vicious competitor among those who had fought him and those who's just witnessed him fight. A fourth kame was also in the arena. This one wore orange. These two were likely supposed to be there. It was the specific arena the final round of the tournament was fought in. Usagi felt sorry for the kame. However, he was more concerned by the sight of the son of the Daimyo and Drako fighting each other in the arena. These two were "not" supposed to be there.

Neither Kluh nor the kame seemed be attacking each other now. Kluh lay face first on the ground. The Kame was backing away as Drako approached the Daimyo's son his clawed hands clutching the War Staff. So, it seemed the two, once in league, now attacked each other.

Usagi heard Splinter address his friend. "You must be strong, Daimyo, there is an urgent matter, which needs your attention."

The Daimyo raised his head and spoke. "Drako has returned. The War Staff … in Drako's hands it must not be." The Daimyo said more, but Usagi was distracted by the sight of Drako using the staff to attack the Daimyo's son. The latter flew back at the assault losing his mask.

Suddenly a bubble appeared around him, Leonardo, Donatello, their brother in red, their father, the Triceraton, and the Daimyo who now stood on his own. They reappeared in the final ring of the Battle Nexus Championship itself by some mysterious means Usagi did not even try to understand.

_I'd hoped I might come to be here,_ the Samurai thought to himself,_ but not like this_. He also noted the absence of Gennosuke. The Ronin wondered momentarily about the size of his friend's bet (and thus his losses) and who had defeated him, the kame wearing orange, Kluh, or someone even earlier in the tournament.

Usagi was distracted from these thoughts by The Daimyo's voice. "Drako, stop!" Almost before his voice had faded into the air, the War Staff's glow had turned from blue to red in the dragon's hands.

Usagi thought that was probably a bad sign. He thought it a worse sign that Drako seemed just as surprised as he. The dragon stared at the staff with his jaws hanging wide open. His growly voice asked, "What? What is happening?" Still, Drako turned the staff toward "them."

When he saw this, the Daimyo cried out "No, Drako!"

A blast of red energy reached up from the staff instead of out. and twisted around in the air as it rose into the sky. A red and black hole appeared there. The Daimyo gaped up at it. "With his evil heart, Drako has torn a rift between the worlds creating a multidimensional wound that will destroy everything it touches!"

Usagi's blood turned chill. Everything? This world with all these warriors, spectators, and natives, "his" world, with Tomo Ame, Lord Noriyuki, Katsuichi, and Mariko, his new friends' world, this Triceraton's, Kluh's, and even Drako's own? What had these fools done?

What were they continuing to do? After seeming to wrestle with and grimace at it a moment, Drako lost his hold of the staff. It flew out of his hands and landed on the pavement.

Usagi's sharp ears picked up the voice of the Daimyo's son. "The War Staff, I must have it!"

Usagi grit his teeth. Unfaithful son, hirer of assassins, attempted murderer of an "honorable" warrior! If there were hands "less" suitable to hold the staff than Drako's, it was those of "The Ultimate Ninja." Suddenly, the title seemed fitting indeed. At least other ninja he had known were loyal to their clan. This "Ultimate Ninja" was loyal only to his own glory to the point of wanting a staff tearing apart perhaps multiple worlds!

So was Drako. He also overheard the Ultimate Ninja looked to the latter and said, "What? No!"

Neither would have it! Apparently, his new friends thought so as well. As he raced to the staff, he was flanked by Leonardo and Raphael; Usagi could also hear the large, booming feet of the Triceraton Traximus and the much quieter, but no less hasty steps of Donatello behind them. Usagi's stomach twisted and sickened upon hearing Drako call out, "No! My war staff" as he also ran toward it.

The Ultimate Ninja, growled "It will be mine," while racing toward it himself. Usagi and his companions called out nothing. He hoped this course of action would allow them to reach it first.

In fact, with a final lunge on his part, quickly copied by both his friends and foes, his fingertips "did" touch the staff first. However, his quick leap also caused him to not grab, but to shove the staff away. Drako and the Ultimate Ninja's fingers only seemed to brush it as Usagi's initial shove sent it out from under their hands.

Suddenly, the hole in the sky changed. It grew and began to suck inward like forced open bellows. Everyone, friend and foe alike, stood or sat up to stare at this. Then the staff rattled on the ground. Usagi looked to and studied it determined "this" time to calculate his move and not miss again.

Another did not have this same thought. Leonardo's brother in red, simply said "The staff!" Then he leapt forward. He drew out his sai on the way and landed stabbing it into the pavement and pinning the staff in place. Usagi stared. It had been a bold and effective move. Would none in this family go the day without performing some great act of honor?

Usagi barely had time to think this before the kame in red was swept off his feet and upward by the sucking wound in the sky. He hung onto the sai pinning the staff into place. This kept him tethered to the ground. Usagi himself knelt to be closer to the now, seemingly precious pavement.

A cry of alarm sounded behind him. Usagi turned his face toward it. The kame in orange was rising off the ground.

Usagi was about to draw Leonardo's attention to this, when the battle nexus finalist turned himself face downward and swung a nunchaku at the ground. An end of his weapon pierced the pavement. He was held fast.

Kluh, the kame's opponent in a battle perhaps never to be fought, rose past him. The kame turned and swung his other nunchaku, so that it wrapped around Kluh's foot. Usagi smiled. _So, Leonardo's brother in orange also acts with intelligence and honor this day. That, I think, makes the whole family._

Then the Gyoji, whom Usagi had not noticed before, but who had to be near any battle where the rules were not being followed, floated past Kluh. Both hands of the Levram warrior were free, yet, the Gyoji flew past them and disappeared into the hole in the sky. Usagi's heart lurched at the loyal servant's cry.

Usagi then felt his ears and clothes pulled upwards. The Daimyo's son and Drako were lifted off the ground nearby. They began to spin in the air as if they were inside a cyclone. Usagi felt his own feet lift off the pavement.

Leonardo and Donatello flew up on other side of him too. Usagi looked down. The Triceraton still stood, but only for a moment. His feet soon left the pavement too. He turned upside down in the air as had the kame in orange, and pulled out his ax. He slammed its edge into the pavement. Then he reached upwards. "Turtles, grab on!"

Even as he gave this command, he grabbed onto Donatello's staff himself. The smart kame gripped his weapon for all he was worth, and then reached up with his free hand. Usagi felt the same three fingers that had clutched his wrist to stop him from reaching out to help Leonardo now grip his ankle even harder preventing him from being drawn into that black abyss.

Usagi looked up to see who he could grab. He clutched at the air as the Daimyo's son, Drako, and Leonardo spun above him. He caught hold of Leonardo's ankles first. He was glad of that. Leonardo then reached up with both his own free hands and grabbed … the Ultimate Ninja's wrists!

Usagi stared. Had Leo made a mistake? No, the kame looked up, saw who he had grabbed, and held on. Drako whirled by. His clawed hands grabbed hold of the Ultimate Ninja's ankles.

Usagi's looked down at the quick-acting brother of Leonardo, for he could hear the kame in red grunting with exertion. Usagi saw Raphael pulling the War Staff out from under his sai. The kame then turned his face toward his father and the Daimyo. "Master Splinter, Catch!" He tossed it toward the nezumi. Usagi's eyes widened. Why hadn't he thrown it to the Daimyo? Perhaps he trusted the speed of Splinter's hands?

The nezumi did catch the staff. Then he turned and held it toward the Daimyo. "Here, my friend. Hurry!"

Then, to Usagi's surprise, the Daimyo lowered his head and simply said. "Yes, I must close the rift immediately."

Usagi wondered if the Daimyo's son's actions and words might have caught his father by surprise. They had not told him of his son's crimes. He'd first seen Drako in possession of the staff. Then the Ultimate Ninja had run for it saying, "it shall be mine" not "give that back to my father." Perhaps the shock of this had slowed the Daimyo's will?

Usagi then heard Leonardo above him and looked up. The kame in blue was saying. "Hang on! I've got you." Usagi hardly thought the other warrior deserved this encouragement, but admired Leonardo for doing this for the Daimyo "and" his own deadly foe.

Then Drako, apparently unwilling to hold on with one hand, did more than just hold on with two. He began to try to climb down the Ultimate Ninja's form saying, "You will not be rid of me so easily!"

The Daimyo's son, who had neither thanked nor apologized to the kame who'd grabbed him as he spiraled in the sky shouted back at the dragon, "You fool! You'll kill us both!"

At once, Usagi both agreed with the Ultimate Ninja and was disgusted by him. Fool? He who'd attempted to use assassination to gain what was rightfully his father's and slay one who'd honorably met a dishonorable challenge from him, "he" dared call someone else this?

Leonardo cried upward, "Stop fighting! You're slipping!" Usagi's ears twitched. Leonardo barely sounded angry, as if he spoke to one of his brothers rather than his enemy.

Drako kept clawing at the Daimyo's son, trying to climb down his form, rather than just hold onto it. The Daimyo's son kicked back. "Drako, rot in the abyss, where you belong!"

Then Leonardo's warning, both so readily given, and readily ignored, came true. The Daimyo's son's metal-claw-clad fingers slid through Leonardo's six. Drako growled. "You fool!"

Leonardo cried out. "No! Noooooooooo! Noooooooo!" As the kame's cry resounded in the air, the Ultimate Ninja and Drako fought one another while rotating through the sky. They even did so as they drifted into the bright center of the dark wound and disappeared into it with a burst of sound and flash of light.

Usagi heard the Daimyo cry out below. "My son! No!"

The Samurai looked down to see his host's eyes turned downward too. The Samurai clutched even harder at Leonardo's heels. Would the Daimyo still do his duty or wait until they all lost their grips as he had now lost his only son? Usagi saw Splinter, however, look up at the rift and his own sons and others still being drawn up toward its bright center too. The old warrior spoke to his friend. "Daimyo, you must act now!"

Usagi watched. The white head beneath him nodded. "Yes." The Daimyo raised his staff. It glowed blue, and the rift closed.

All who'd drifted up toward the now nonexistent hole came crashing down one at a time. After landing, Usagi lifted his head and shook it. Then he looked around.

He spied Kluh, now fallen back to earth. After the warrior from Levram stood to his feet, he weaved on them, but then he began to approach the kame in orange from behind. Said kame was attempting to free the nunchaku from the pavement. As the kame concentrated on this, Kluh charged his shelled back.

Outraged, Usagi opened his mouth and drew in a deep breath. Before he could shout, however, the nunchaku came flying out of the pavement. An end flew over the top of kame's head and straight into the front of Kluh's. Kluh cried out an "Oh!" Usagi's mouth fell further open.

The warrior from Levram wavered on his feet once more, and then fell back onto the arena floor. Once there, Kluh lay still, not dead still, but most certainly "defeated still." Only then, did Leonardo's brother in orange turn around toward him while whirling both his nunchaku. His voice was cheerful as he spoke, "Yo, Ugly! Do you think we're supposed to fight now?"

As the warrior in orange began to realize his competitor's current condition, his nunchaku ceased to whirl. "Uh, yo?" After another moment of Kluh's silence and stillness, the kame's tone became both stunned and reticent. "Oops."

Usagi grinned. Then he laughed under his breath. The Samurai turned toward Leonardo. The kame in blue was also grinning. Usagi nodded to him. The kame nodded back. Usagi's smile widened further still. They were both still alive, and while neither had won the Battle Nexus Tournament, it had turned out to be a most satisfying day.

**What do you think now?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	16. Chapter 16

**Missing scene, from the fourth episode of "The Big Brawl" storyline from the 2003 series of TMNT. I own none of the characters or places named here. **

Leo watched his brother do the most "Mikey" thing possible: "accidentally" knock out his big, bad opponent in the Battle Nexus Tournament. Leo had noticed Usagi bristle out of the corner of his eye just moments after they landed on the pavement. That had caused him to raise his own head and look the same direction. Thus, he'd seen the big baddie approaching his brother's back and witnessed the comedic ending of what could have been a dramatic moment.

Soon after his little brother's voiced "Oops," Usagi turned to his attention away from Mikey and to him, laughing. The laugh wasn't loud. If Usagi's lungs were sucking in air as greedily as his after their shared experience being sucked up like dust-bunnies, he didn't have the breath for laughing loudly yet. Still, they were definitely both still laughing as much as they could at his brother's "knockout" move on the gigantic, purple and blue being from somewhere in the multiverse who'd tried to take him from behind.

Leo felt a slight touch of surprise at sharing such a laugh with Usagi. The Samurai hadn't gotten Donnie's joke earlier in the Healer's Pavilion about "What 'hadn't happened" while he was unconscious at all. Wait …

Leo closed his mouth. He felt like a fool. Usagi wasn't from "their" earth, let alone their earth's western Hemisphere or New York City. Maybe that joke was better understood in those places. It made sense he wouldn't get all the jokes their respective homes didn't share. Leo wouldn't either. "But" Usagi had been the one to smile and remark right before their match in the arena on fate's "wry sense of Humor." Indeed, today had proved him right about that.

Leo felt an inner blush at his misunderstanding of the (slightly) older warrior, who was wise enough to laugh "with" the impossible to understand, metaphorical hand guiding things across the multiverse. Leo gave a graver smile and a nod to the Samurai. With a soft gaze shining with his wry sense of humor, the white-furred warrior nodded back.

Then Usagi's white-furred face stretched. His eyes widened and his ears stuck straight up. Leo's own expression mirrored Usagi's as much as it could. He was about to ask what was wrong, when the rabbit stood to his feet, placed his circled paws around his mouth, and shouted "Gennesuke!" Leo's new friend turned the opposite direction and shouted again, louder, almost angry "Murakami Gennesuke!"

"Usagi!"

The rabbit Samurai turned. His shoulders, ears, and the lids of his eyes seemed to lower in relief. He smiled. His voice became soft and polite again. "Genn … old friend …"

Leo turned to look the same direction as Usagi. He felt his own eyes widen and form straighten. A … rhino in a kimono, walking on hind legs, and wearing swords in his belt, very like the rabbit Samurai's, approached them speaking in a low, mumbling voice. "No need to make everyone deaf, Usagi …"

The rhino, whose horn was sawn off Leonardo now noticed, approached the rabbit. He dwarfed Leo's new friend by over an inch even counting Usagi's ears. Yet, Usagi looked up into the face with stubble on its chin without a hint of fear, at least not "of" the rhino. The white-furred warrior spoke softly, "I feared for you my friend, who knew, but behind my back you were picked up and swept away. You often watch public events like the last round of the 'Battle Nexus Tournament' closely."

"When I have a bet riding on them I do." The rhino scratched his chin as he replied, then he let his hand fall away and shrugged. "Not after I've already lost it."

Usagi gave his rhino friend a soft smile. "How much did you lose this time?"

The rhino looked down at the pavement and huffed through his nostrils." Usagi chuckled softly. Leo smiled again at his new friend's very real sense of humor.

Then the rabbit's face stretched and eyes widened again. He turned to look at the Daimyo whose head was still hanging. Leo noticed his father's hand resting on his old friend's arm. The rabbit Samurai shouted toward them, "Honored Daimyo, were there not guards watching over the War Staff?"

The Daimyo looked toward the Samurai. Then he raised his staff. Another bubble formed. Leo dashed over to be included in it as his father was standing right nest to the Daimyo, so did Raph and Don. Mickey seemed to have been slowly moving in the Daimyo and their father's direction anyway. He froze and glanced around with wide eyes as the bubble formed over him as well.

When the bubble melted away, Leo took in their new surroundings. They were in a long room with a throne on a dias on one end and many windows lining its sides. The floor was littered with men in ceremonial garb. Their weapons scattered around them.

Leo heard a sniffing sound near his elbow. He turned almost flinching away. He froze when he realized who it was. He was still unaware of how he got there, though.

The rabbit's nose twitched. His eyes were squinted and staring straight ahead. "I smell no blood." His ears swiveled somewhat even in their topknot. Leo thought they looked like biological radar instruments scanning the area. Usagi continued in the same firm, level voice, though there was a lowering and softening near his words' end. "I do not think their armor allowed any of their lungs to be pierced."

Leo felt somewhat better at this news from his new friend, but as he glanced around his heart sank again. The men on the floor were moaning as they turned over on their sides, rose to their knees, or attempted to bow and speak to their Daimyo. Their lord was waving once arm and speaking gently to them one moment, but the next, adding a firmness to his tone as he asked that eternal question, "What happened here?"

Leo stiffened and listened for the reply. Though, he noted around him his father helping one man to his feet in one direction, Raph doing the same in another, and Mikey edging over toward Don awkwardly as his genius brother tried to get a guards whose leg was twisted at a wince-inducing angle to stop trying to move entirely. Usagi knelt next to a guard who had neither moved nor moaned since they got there. The rabbit's eyes scanned the guard's body.

Still, Leo heard what the guard speaking to the Daimyo said, "Dddddraco, my lord! He came in and attacked all of us. He swept through every group of reinforcements that came to our aid! And then …" A pause followed.

Leo looked away from Usagi's examination of the still guard on the floor to watch the exchange between servant and the lord of this realm. The Daimyo pressed his man. "And then …"

"I … I … I … Forgive me, my lord …"

The Daimyo's voice lowered and softened further. "Just tell me, my servant."

The guard bowed over onto his hands and knees his head hanging, "I thought … I thought I heard the voice of your son … speaking to Draco. It sounded as though he mocked him. I thought I heard the War Staff being used, then they were arguing over it. There was the sound of breaking glass. After that, I heard them not over the crowd sounds outside until I lost consciousness when I tried to rise and go after them. Forgive me my failure …"

There was a deep sigh. "I do … Draco came second in a tournament against the greatest warriors of the multiverse some time ago, and the one who came first after defeating him was in a cell downstairs."

Suddenly wanting to hear and see no more of this discussion, Leo walked over and knelt down beside Usagi. The rabbit Samurai was farthest away from the grieving father of the man who'd slipped through his fingers. The turtle in blue cast his gaze over the still guard. "How is he?"

Usagi looked up at him. "His breathing is good, but I believe this one took a blow to the head. Observe …"

Usagi bent over and Leo did the same. He winced. One side of the guard's face was bruised deep. The darkest shade of purple went under his hairline at the temple. Usagi's voice lowered and softened as he spoke. "I think Draco's tail did that as the guard now lies nowhere near a wall and this is the opposite side of his face as that pressed into the floor."

Leo lifted his head and looked around, then back to Usagi. "Why didn't they disappear like the guards in the Healing Ward did?"

Usagi's lips pressed together until they became a hard line before parting to answer, "I would think it because most of them remained awake, simply in pain, disability, and semi-consciousness. However, with this one like this …"

"With this one's like this," Leo pressed gently …

Usagi sighed deeply still staring down at the bruise. "I think … the safety measures in this room may have been lifted."

Leo's eyes widened and the corners of his mouth drooped. He glanced back at the Daimyo whose head seemed to hang even lower now, his shoulders too, as he turned from his trembling guards. However, the voice was kind. "Thank you, for staying awake and alert long enough to tell me of all of this … You did well."

Leo thought he saw the guard's trembling stop right before he bowed even lower before his Daimyo. But, Leo also thought he caught the expression on the face before it was lowered back to the floor. Sad, sympathetic …

Leo's heart squeezed. What was it like to be the servant not the son, and then to realize you loved, respected, and honored your lord more than his son did? What was it like to be them? Sure Mikey, Raph, and even Don showed Master Splinter less respect than him, sometimes, but …" Leo froze and turned to his new friend. "Why did you remember them, when no one else did, Usagi?"

The rabbit Samurai sent him a slanting, almost angry glance. His voice held the threat of a growl. "Firstly, for any house to leave such as the War Staff 'unguarded,' especially when its usual wielder is down, would be the height of foolishness."

Leo continued to stare at his friend. "And secondly?"

Usagi's eyes widened. His voice sounded soft again. "I am also a guard Leonardo san. If this was my duty, to guard the staff, I would not have let Draco get near enough to touch it with his claws unless my blood already stained the stones." Usagi looked back to the guard before him. "Thankfully, though these seem just as loyal to their Lord as I was to mine, their armor is better than what I now wear. And, thankfully, the War Staff is again safely in the Daimyo's hands."

Leo felt he should have nodded in agreement, but his mind was now firmly on a different track than his friend's seemed to be. He glanced over the rabbit's form noticing, for the first time, the distinct lack of armor. If the Samurai had such, should he not have worn it to the battle nexus tournament? It sounded like he had none at all. That … seemed unusual for a Samurai. But … Usagi had described himself as a "Yojimbo," a bodyguard … for hire … as in no steady work, no particular lord to be in service to. "Usagi?"

"Yes, Leonardo?"

"Do you have a family?"

The rabbit Samurai turned his gaze, hard, piercing, sad to meet his own. "I 'had' one."

Leo looked back feeling his face sag in sadness. "Did you used to have a Lord too?"

Usagi lifted a corner of his kimono to bring an emblem, three dots in the pattern of a triangle, closer to Leonardo's eyes. There was a fierceness, a hardness, a challenge in his reply. "I still count myself Lord Mifune's Samurai. I always will."

Leo decided not to meet that challenge. He nodded instead. Usagi looked back down to his brother in arms, one of those loyal to another above them and not of their blood to the point of spending their sweat and their lives.

Leo gave a little sigh and spoke again wondering as he did so if it would raise the Samurai, Ronin's, hackles still higher, yet still daring to say it. "So … you're all alone in your world then?"

The most heart-breaking reaction Leonardo couldn't have imagined occurred in front of his eyes. Usagi shrugged. His eyes never ceased watching his own hand rubbing an ointment Leo had somehow missed him retrieving over the guard's face. His shoulders simply lifted gently, carelessly under the folds of his kimono. His voice matched the gesture. "I have Gennesuke my partner in my work at times. He helps me guard others if he thinks the money good enough or he's particularly desperate for some." A fond smile twitched the rabbit's lips. He continued with that smile still in place. "When I think it an honorable job, I assist him in his bounty-hunting. We travel together often." Usagi chuckled softly, "During such travels, I find myself wishing for a little more solitude at night, when he is snoring nearby even at my back at particularly dangerous stops. I swear, our enemies have found us more times simply because of that sound ..."

"You've … 'both' made a lot of enemies then?"

Usagi's wide eyes turned back to him even though he was still rubbing the ointment into the guard's face. "Of course, Leonardo san. You do not guard well those others try to kill without doing 'that.'"

Leo looked away. He thought, once he and this new friend parted, they might never see each other again. What strangely hurt worse was this rabbit's indifference to how few others might be sad at that. He was family-less, master-less, and almost friendless really. He had only one, semi-steady friend who traveled with him so they could better ply their respective trades and share their rewards together, perhaps so they wouldn't starve or be slain doing such apart.

Leo sometimes thought out possible ways to shake his brothers for a few hours, even his father, Casey and April. He did not often carry-through. He was team leader. The position carried too much responsibility to enjoy solitude away from that team often. He knew about snorers too. When they'd all had their hammocks hanging so close together in their old home ... "good-night," or rather "not-good-night!"

Leo glanced back to Usagi now rising from the guard's side. The rabbit glanced around until his gaze landed on another guard sitting against a wall clutching his arm. Leo's heart clenched even as his head rose. A warrior this honorable, skilled, and loyal shouldn't fight and die without a family at his side.

**What do you think now?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	17. Chapter 17

**Missing scene from the last episode of the "Big Brawl" storyline from the 2003 TNMT series, once again, as you may have guessed, drawing heavily from Usagi Lore written by Stan Sakai. I own nothing. Please enjoy anyway. And, of course, I make no money from this. :)**

All the guards were eventually transported to the Healing ward Leo had been a patient in earlier. The mats already laid out and waiting seemed not to be enough. So, Donnie put Mikey to work laying out more with him while Splinter and Raph helped the injured guards lay down on them. Leo watched Usagi approach the Daimyo. The Samurai bowed to the ruler of the Battle Nexus before speaking, "I fear, Daimyo that the healer usually here may have been transported away, after those attacking you put him to sleep with smoke after they'd done the same to the two guards watching over you."

The Daimyo looked down at the rabbit and nodded. "Thank you for telling me, Usagi san. I will see to their retrieval. But I think this task too great even for our greatest healer to perform alone. Please see to telling the healers in the 'Defeated Warriors Pavilion' that many of my guards are in need of their aid here."

Usagi bowed before running out through the door. The Daimyo then left alone. Leonardo watched them go before approaching Splinter. He helped him lay warriors down on their mats in silence for a minute, but then asked, "Master Splinter?"

"Yes, my son?" The rat did not lift his eyes from his work, but his gentle voice said he was listening. Momentarily, he and Leo were distracted by another conversation farther away.

"Come on, Don, do you think I won or not?"

"Mikey, we're a little busy right now."

"We can talk and lay out mats at the same time! Do you think I won or not?"

"I think we have more important things to do right now than have this conversation."

"But do ya, do ya, do ya?"

Leonardo and Splinter looked back to each other sharing a sympathetic look for Donnie. Then Leo helped set down one guard with his father, and walked over to an unconscious one as Splinter followed. Leo lowered his voice as he bent over the prone form of the warrior. "You think highly of Miyomoto Usagi, don't you, Master Splinter?"

The old rat smiled and nodded. "Indeed, I do, my son. I am not surprised at all you have enjoyed one another's company. Your shared sword skills, the high value you both place on honor, and the energy and optimism of youth that has been tempered in you both by wisdom gained over many adventures made it nearly impossible for either of you to do otherwise. I am glad you found such as he to test your mettle against here."

Leonardo looked down in thought. "What if it wasn't just 'here' I had him to test my mettle against, Master Splinter?"

Splinter held the guard's feet while Leonardo lifted him under his arms. The rat walked backward toward a mat. Leo kept his eyes forward as he matched his pace to Master Splinter's. As they laid the guard gently down, Splinter raised squinted eyes to Leo's downcast face. "What is it you are trying to ask me, my son?"

Leonardo looked up and met his master's gaze while crossing his arms over his chest. "I heard your voice, from the stands, when I was poisoned … But you, Don, and the others weren't near enough to help me then. He was and did. He was also there to help me in the Pavilion of Past champions before that, and when we were all getting sucked into that vortex after that. I feel like I owe him."

Splinter smiled. "I doubt he feels the same, my son. He probably considered doing all those things a great honor, and that 'not' helping you would have been the opposite."

"I know, but Usagi didn't just do all of that for 'me.' He also helped Don when I couldn't by fighting beside him, maybe saving his life, and he definitely helped us all when we were almost framed for the Daimyo's near-death and might never have left here alive! To me, that's an even greater debt ..."

Splinter nodded gravely over the prone form of the warrior they'd just helped. "I see."

Leo nodded while crossing his arms and fixing his gaze on the floor. "He's already acted like he's one of us, like he's one of my brothers."

Splinter raised his head and eyebrows. Raph turned and frowned at his only "big" bro. Things had gone so silent around them, Leo's firm voice had seemed loud in comparison. Mikey glanced wide-eyed at Don who was watching the discussion intently himself. Raph, stepped forward and asked what they were all wondering, "What are you saying, Leo?"

The blue-masked turtle continued in a hesitant voice. "It's just … I'd like to do something for him too."

Splinter asked gravely, "And what would that be?"

"I'd like it if you would invite him to return home with us."

All the other turtles straightened and looked at each other. Donnie smiled, but the turtles in orange and red squinted and then turned back to stare at Leonardo. Splinter lifted his ears and blinked his eyes. His voice came out somewhat soft and sad. "My son, he has his own world to return to. He might not wish to come 'home' with us."

"But he has no one there!"

Leo's voice rose so much the others flinched. A rabbit in a blue approached the pavilion entrance and froze just outside it unnoticed. His ears swiveled forward as he and everyone in the room beyond him listened, save the guards following their lord's newest command to rest and think of nothing. Splinter spoke next in a soft and somewhat bright voice. "He appears to have Gennesuke, my son."

Leo's voice lowered to a growl. "Do you know what Gennesuke 'does?'"

"Gamble, apparently, but I enjoy a game of cards now and then myself. And I believe the swords the rhino carries and garbs he wears also mark him as a Samurai as Usagi's do."

Leo shook his head scowling. The hands of his crossed arms gripped tighter. "No. He's a 'bounty hunter'." The term seemed spat from Leonardo's lips.

Usagi winced. Then his fists clenched. The centers of his eyes seemed to burn.

Splinter tilted his head and looked sad. However, it was Donnie who spoke next. "Usagi … did say his own Daimyo was dead, Master Splinter … and that he's a Yojimbo now, a bodyguard for hire. Not attached to any clan, or anyone."

Leo shook his head again. "He 'is' still attached to someone. He told me so himself. The lord he's still attached to is just dead."

Usagi shut his eyes and forced himself not to tremble. He next heard the old Nezumi speak next. "What is it you wish of me then, my son?"

The turtle uncrossed his arms and raised his hands. "Could you speak to him, Master, Father … please? I think it would come best from you. I can't just leave this world knowing the only friend I made here went back to ... that."

Raph burst out, "Hey! What we got to go back to ain't exactly a picnic either, Leo."

Leonardo turned his head to stare at his brother and ground out. "'I' still wouldn't change places with him, Raph. Would you?"

Raphael grimaced in return.

Usagi watched for a moment as silence fell over the family inside again. Then he turned outside the door and began to walk away. He was used to silencing his steps and did so very well just then.

As he passed those he'd led there, the Yojimbo's voice came out firm and low, barely audible to the healers from the "Defeated Warriors Pavilion." "You will find all in readiness for you, inside, I believe. Splinter and his sons have seen to it."

Usagi continued walking past the healers going in the opposite direction. As he came to the level area outside the arena, several moments later, Gennesuke appeared in front of him. Usagi raised a weak smile to the rhino's face. "Ah, Gen ..."

"Usagi! I thought I might find you here. I want you to come with me as I go pay off my debts."

Usagi chuckled. "Of course, you do."

"A few extra swords should help prevent any of them from thinking they can cheat me out of more than I promised them."

Usagi nodded his head slowly. "And I, Gennesuke will also make certain you don't cheat them by giving them any 'less' than you promised them."

The rhino's face fell. "Usagi ... you should not have to do that." Gennesuke turned and began to walk toward the surrounding city.

Usagi fell into step beside him and grinned. "But I will, my friend. I will."

The two fell into companionable silence as they walked. The Samurai finally began to frown as he pondered things to himself. He considered the events of this day another adventure in his "Warrior's Pilgrimage," and another lesson. It had been an awesome experience overall, and he would not let the last words he'd heard from Leonardo's lips greatly trouble him. Perhaps they would not even see each other again. There was no reason to hold a grudge. Of course, if he were to be honest with himself, this was a very sad ending to their joint adventure.

He supposed he should have expected such as this to happen. He had worn his best to the tournament, clothing he only wore in the presence of the great in their homes not even on the road while he guarded them. Perhaps Leonardo had thought when he called himself a Ronin, when they'd first met, he'd meant it in the word's most general sense of "wanderer," which he indeed was. They had been in a very tense situation, when he told Leonardo he was a Yojimbo later too. And the kame might have thought he simply choose that profession, so he could visit his distinguished family regularly. Perhaps Leonardo had even thought him married and continuing his respected family line with a few sons already. To learn he was an orphan, without wife or sons, the last Samaria to wear the sign of a defeated and dead clan, not entirely welcomed by all (especially the head man) of his own village, homeless, masterless, and fatherless might have been a shock to Leonardo.

To be the eldest son of such a distinguished father, who had raised four, healthy, strong, and highly skilled warriors was quite an honorable position. Such a position must come with many difficult duties to perform. He could not fault Leonardo for becoming disconcerted to learn one as high up as he had accidentally become a companion to one fallen so low.

Usagi knew he was well thought of by many in his world. Some, like lord Noriyuki were even highly respected "and" exalted in status. Many others were not. He wondered if Lord Mifune were still alive if things might have turned out differently …

_Farewell, Leonardo san … this Ronin thanks you for your brief friendship ..._

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	18. Chapter 18

**I do not own any of these characters and places. This is a "missing scene" from the fourth episode of the 2003 TMNT series storyline "The Big Brawl." Much, however, is drawn from sources on the "Usagi Yojimbo" comic series including "Comic Vine," "Wikipedia," and "All The Tropes."**

_I did love Lord Mifune. I did._

"Usagi?"

The Samurai opened his tight shut eyes. He gave a weak smile in the direction of Gennesuke's even weaker eyes. "I am fine, Gennesuke."

The rhino snorted. "I can't smell it, but it'd be like you to hide some injury until now. Especially if all the healers in the land are busy with those guards of our host. I'm sure we can scare up someone to help you here, though, if you tell me the truth!"

Usagi gave a grim smile. "No … no … I am in no need of any such help. Besides," Usagi lowered his voice barely voicing the words of his lips at all. He knew his friend's sharp ears would still catch them, "many would say I should have already breathed my last ..."

The bounty hunter rhino's ears swiveled forward. He sat straighter as well. "You mean after the battle of Adachi Plain? Usagi, what you did there is legendary!"

"And the remains of my master would be safer still if my lips were sealed in death." Usagti lifted his glass and took a sip from it. They were drinking some strange liquid from another dimension. It was one thing he'd promised to do with Gen if he accompanied him here to the Battle Nexus, try the local drinks together. He'd earlier learned from his sensei which ones were the safest to try. He thought now it might have been a mistake. Gennesuke was speaking very loudly after drinking a little over half his serving of the foreign liquid.

The rhino snorted before he spoke in that loud voice again. "And the tongues of those who'd betrayed him could still be talking as well."

Usagi frowned. That was true. The rhino shrugged. "Can't say as I have much to say in matters of 'honor' but you rank high among those I know of in that regard. The bounty on you shows even your enemies value you highly!"

Usagi gave a soft, sad smile. "Thank you, my friend."

"Even 'I' sometimes think about cashing in on it sometimes." Gen lifted his glass to his lips, and Usagi laid his head down on the table. Instead of Gen's words filling him with horror or wrath, though, his shoulders simply bobbed up and down in near-silent laughter. A rough hand slapped him on the back. "There you go, 'Ronin.'"

The last word from the mouth of his friend made Usagi freeze, though. Normally it didn't bother him, but now ... _Ronin._ He sighed. Samurai of a dead master, who was yet "not" dead himself. Coward. One without honor.

A smile on a certain traitor's face came back to his mind. The fiend had stared at him with wariness in his eyes. His hand had shifted to the swords at his side, his words though, had cut through Usagi more cleanly than would have been possible for his swords. _"Usagi? 'Myomoto Usagi?' I didn't expect to see 'you' again ... Should you not already be with our dear Lord Mifune?"_

Not too long after he spoke those words, the traitor had been dead. Yet, his questions still lived on in Usagi's head. "_I didn't expect to see 'you' … Should you not already be with our dear Lord Mifune?"_

"Usagi?" Gen's voice sounded distressed above his head as the Samurai's mind returned to the present. "Surely this isn't because you didn't win, today? I thought for sure I'd take my loss harder than you would yours 'if' you lost."

Usagi's head shot up. He turned to and glared at his friend. "I did 'not' lose! My bout was taken from me by cowards too fearful to face a great warrior as they tried to kill 'him!' I had no chance to win or lose!"

Gen slowly and stiffly drew his hand back but remained seated and staring at his companion. Usagi looked down at the table and sighed heavily. "Forgive me, my friend. I just …"

Just what? Was he embarrassed of his own choice? He'd decided. He'd wrestled with his actions, and those of others, what he could and could not have done that day, his failures and his accomplishments, what he could still do for his master, and his memories of his lord while he was still alive. He'd finally made a choice alone, undiscovered by any seeking him then … No one else had made that decision for him. He'd thought it the right one at the time. So why ..?

Gen's voice broke into his thoughts again. "What is it, Usagi?"

The Samurai sighed. "It's just, I think a very honorable family is too concerned over my status as a Ronin, Samurai of a dead master who himself is still alive, to let me be connected to the eldest son of it, or any member of it, now. And I thought greatly of them all. I suppose their rejection still stings." Usagi lifted his drink and downed a large mouthful of it. He closed his eyes at the stinging sensation it gave him preferring it in the moment over the other in his heart. The rhino harrumphed beside him.

"Are you speaking of the turtles and their rat father?"

The two ronin turned to look up at a tall, muscled, orange creature leaning on a great axe standing higher than Usagi himself could. The Samurai rabbit looked up to meet the Triceraton Warrior's gaze. "You are Traximus." Usagi bowed his head before the other warrior from another planet. "I fear I had no time to formally meet you earlier. I saw with my own eyes, though, your honorable deeds. I, in fact, owe you my life along with Donatello, for saving me from the rift that threatened all our worlds." Usagi's shoulders slumped slightly. _If indeed, my life is still worth something to owe it to someone else._

The Triceraton nodded down to Usagi with a smile. "The rat and his sons are not as you seem to think them now, warrior. The turtles befriended me when I was still a gladiator myself, a prisoner on my own home-world, a slave."

Usagi and Gennesuke glanced at each other with wide eyes. Then the rabbit looked back to the speaker. Traximus continued staring at them both. "They were also gladiators at the time. Unlike me, they were strangers to our ways, or world, captured visitors to all I knew and natives of a place I'd never heard of. They were forced to fight because our 'Prime Leader' was attempting to force another to give him yet 'more' power. But the turtles outwitted and defeated their foes at every turn. Then they escaped. The confusion also allowed others, including me, to escape." Traximus grinned down at the other two warriors sitting at the table before him.

Usagi found himself smiling up at the creature as well. Traximus then lifted his head and looked up toward the arena and Daimyo's throne. "Now they have helped 'prevent' a bad change of power here. They have kept another traitor from ascending another throne. The Battle Nexus will not have to suffer as my own home does now."

Usagi's smile faded, but a trace of it remained as he replied. "I am indeed glad they were able to do that here, and I hope you will remain free and free your own home as well."

Gen huffed again louder this time. Traximus looked back down at them and spoke in a low, deep voice. "I see before me two warriors I'd like to see fighting by 'my' side as I try to so free my home."

Usagi and Gennesuke's eyes widened. Then they looked to each other.

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	19. Chapter 19

**I own not Traximus, nor Usagi, nor Gennesuke, nor anything else here. Stan Sakai at least owns Usagi and his world's character and places, I believe. I have not read the comics the stories this "missing scene" is derived from, yet. I have tried my best to look up the details of these stories from "Fandom: Usagi Yojimbo Wiki," "Wikipedia," "Comic Vine," "All The Tropes," "Official Website Stan Sakai," and "Comicslist."**

In the end, it didn't work out. Traximus was shocked to learn Usagi would not consider learning to use a Triceraton blaster. Archery was as far as the Yojimbo would go, it seemed, in using long-distance weaponry, for to aim an arrow well took a great deal of practice and skill, and to bend a bow took a great deal of strength to do at all. When Usagi learned he could "accidentally" leave a smoking hole in a wall or a person by simply "touching" a Triceraton blaster in a certain place, even if someone else was holding it or it was lying on the floor, he'd been both horrified and shocked.

Setting bombs and running away before they exploded was also out of the question. It all seemed simply too ninja-like. Usagi tried to convince Traximus his sword skills alone would be a benefit to his rebellion, but the Triceraton insisted he'd not take such a fine warrior with him to be slain so immediately by the blast of a weapon he refused to wield himself. Nor did he wish Miyamoto Usagi to be captured and tortured, as a certain robot could not be, till he died or gave up informed on the rebellion to the Prime Minister. Usagi put his ears back and scowled at this. He insisted the former not the latter would occur if he was captured. Traximus simply said his point still stood.

Usagi crossed his own arms and shook his head. "I will fight a foe face to face even if I must die doing so. But I 'cannot' kill or wound any 'after' running away. Also, handling something so 'destructive' it takes as little as a finger-press to do as much damage as a barrel or gunpowder would when a spark meets it, seems even 'more' dangerous than a barrel of gunpower to me. At least with the former I have to make a flame."

The Triceraton laughed. "You've faced off against some of the greatest warriors in the galaxy, Miyamoto Usagi, including a dragon out for revenge in the dark of night, fought off multiple assassins, and have been nearly sucked into an interdimensional "hole," and you think a handling a "blaster" is dangerous?

Usagi stared at the Triceraton. He hadn't thought about it that way, yet. But, after another moment of thought, he replied, "Yes."

The Triceraton shook his head over his own crossed arms, his eyes closed, but his lips still smiling. Then he turned his reopened eyes upon Murakami Gennesuke. "What about you, friend?"

"I'm in. How much does this job pay?"

Traximus chuckled and shook his head once more. "I fear this work will be without pay, warrior. The Triceraton Republic has already been drained of funds in its pointless war with the Federation and by our 'Prime Leader's' love of luxury items." His voice turned hard at this last statement. Then it turned sad. "No, I fear I cannot pay you now, and perhaps I cannot in my lifetime." He set his cup down. "There will be much work to be done rebuilding our world once we are finally free."

Gennesuke stared straight ahead of himself in silence for a long moment. "On second thought, I think my funds have dried up far too much recently to jump into such a venture now."

Usagi turned his face down toward the tabletop and grinned as he also shook his head before sipping from his glass. Traximus sighed above him, but his voice became warm as well as amused. "Then it looks as though I can only buy you both another drink for hearing out my offer to begin with."

Gennesuke grinned again, his ears perking up. "Well, if you insist."

Traximus laid a large hand upon, what now seemed to Usagi, his own, very small shoulder. The Samurai looked up into the orange warrior's eyes. They were soft and kind for a rebel leader's.

The fact it was a "rebellion" Traximus has asked him to join had alone troubled Usagii about the alien's offer. Then he'd realized this 'Prime Leader' Traximus fought against was much like lord Hebi. He too had come from a smaller section of a greater nation, or "world" in this case, before trying to take the rest from others through cunning, lies, and force. In doing so, this "Prime Leader" had also gotten rid of other, better leaders along the way, leaders like Traximus.

The Triceraton's voice now came out at him smooth and kind for one fallen so far and so unfairly from a high status. "Forgive me, young warrior, if I overstep my bounds, but if you are still troubled by fears Leonardo and the others in his family think less of you for losing your master, do not think so any longer. Leonardo and the others do not only fight and live with honor, they show it to others even in low status, and when others try to take their honor from them. I have seen it. They even recognize and call honor forth in others fallen as low as I had."

Usagi turned away and stared bitterly ahead of him. "I fear in 'my' home-world those in positions like mine are often considered dishonorable, more so than most others in fact."

Traximus drew his hand away, but he kept his gaze fixed upon Usagi's face. "Because you lived through a lost battle instead of died in its midst, and lost your general or "senator" as well?"

Gennesuke jumped in. "Usagi should be proud of what he did on Adachi Plain!"

Usagi's head swiveled around. He scowled at his friend. His tone had a biting edge to it. "Gen …"

Traximus grinned and leaned back in his much larger chair. His stare focused on the bounty hunter. "This I must hear." The Triceraton then ordered another round of drinks, before giving the rhino his undivided attention. Usagi covered his face with his paws as he listened to Gennesuke wax eloquent.

The bounty Hunter seemed not embarrassed at all. He threw his head back and raised his strange drink in one hand to gesture with as he told Usagi's story … as he'd learned it and wished to tell it at least. "As foul a lord as ever called himself 'Damiyo' decided to try and take out one of the finest with that same title. The latter was Lord Mifune. Even 'I' might have served him. Everyone throughout his lands loved him, or so it seemed. One of the truest hearts to him was Miyomoto Usagi's. He was not born a Samurai serving in a Daimyo's household," Gen paused and pointed to himself, "like me." The rhino's smug grin, which caused Usagi to roll his eyes and take a sip of his drink, disappeared as he went on with his story. Usagi bowed his head and covered it with his paws again.

Traximus looked down at the covered head with an amused light in his eyes. Usagi thought the rhino's voice carried much too far. He was either too drunk to notice or care or absolutely determined to embarrass him. If he'd known the bounty hunter would gain an audience, he would've been far more careful about sharing his feelings with him tonight. "No, after watching Usagi beat every other warrior his age in the region during a tournament much like this one, Mifune offered him a position as his own retainer."

Traximus raised his eyebrows. Usagi stared straight ahead. Gennesuke went on. "The Lord Mifune even allowed Usagi to first continue his training and return home to say his goodbyes to all there before starting his service with him. On his way from doing the former to do the latter, Usagi was asked to extract his last opponent in that tournament, who was also his rival as they grew up in their village together, from the deep cups of an inn he stopped at!"

Usagi turned a glare upon Gennesuke. Telling his own story was one thing, bringing up Kenichi's humiliation was another. Thankfully, the Bounty Hunter moved fast on in the tale. "And upon arriving back in his village, they 'both' had to defend it from brigands. While Lord Mifune and his forces were not there, Usagi and Kenichi defended their old home successfully, including a certain lady Usagi then managed to 'say goodbye' to, the prettiest girl in the village. I imagine she misses him still, though she later wed Kenichi."

Gennesuke grinned and winked over the table. Usagi lowered his burning face still further toward the tabletop. Traximus chuckled softly with a smile of his own.

Usagi's friend finally moved on from telling of the his short visit home, but that only meant he was getting closer to Adachigahara Plain. Usagi took a little bit more than a sip from his new drink. Then he held it to his chest. He shut his eyes as he listened as his friend go on.

"Usagi became very close to his Lord and his Lord's family after he began his work for him. Mifune trusted Miyamoto Usagi enough him to make him his "and" his family's personal guard. Usagi spent a lot of time with Mifune's wife and son. It is said Mifune almost counted Usagi family as well. And Usagi also became close to Gunichi, his superior in Mifune's service, who also helped him to rise quickly through the ranks. Any fool would have done the same. Everyone could see Usagi's skill with a blade was only surpassed by his loyalty!"

Despite his high level of annoyance, Usagi's heart was warmed slightly by his friend's words. As Gennesuke went on though, it froze. "Then, as I said before, another lord set his sights on Mifune's lands. That same lord set out to take them in the most cowardly way possible: wiping out Mifune's entire family line through assassination. That meant not only ending Mifune's life, but any chance for him to have an heir. Mifune's son and wife were both killed in their sleep by ninja. Of course, they had also been paid to kill Lord Mifune, and 'that' did not happen."

Usagi himself took another sip of his drink. Gennesuke's voice boomed as it went on. "Usagi awoke and defended his master. Then Lord Mifune declared war to avenge his wife and son! The rival Daimyo then had more trouble than he'd wanted to handle."

"Indeed," Traximus cut in briefly.

Gennesuke may or may not have heard him. He seemed in a rush to go on. "The battle of Adachi Plain is legendary. But it might have been so only for betrayal had Usagi not been there. One commander of Lord Mifune's, Buichi Toda, switched sides during the battle right when it had seemed Mifune might win. Gunichi, Usagi's immediate superior, ran away soon after trying to convince Usagi to do likewise. Usagi did not take kindly to that."

Usagi took another drink and held the liquid in his mouth for a moment as the rhino paused. Gennesuke went on soon though, with even more pride in his voice. "Usagi stayed, and I'm telling you, both the traitor's forces and the soldiers that other shogun brought with him must have been sweating. They couldn't get 'near' Lord Mifune with Usagi there."

A high voice broke through the air. "Then what happened?"

Gennesuke and Traximus looked up. A very embarrassed waitress stood before them holding a tray in one hand. Her grimace and wide eyes showed she was shocked at herself. Neither rhino nor Triceraton, though, got a chance to answer her. Usagi filled the silence just by speaking under his breath. _"Arrows …"_

The other two at the table and the waitress turned their stares upon him. The Samurai still clutched his glass. His eyes were closed, and head bowed. The waitress deflated. Traximus lifted his hand again, but before he could rest it on Usagi's shoulder once more, the rabbit opened his eyes, and looked up, though he seemed to stare at nothing. _"How did I not die too? I was so close to him …"_

Gennesuke's voice rumbled. "Perhaps fate thought your master's head should be spared, Usagi."

The voice of the waitress came out high and squeaky this time. "Master's 'head?'"

Gennesuke raised his gaze to look at her curiously. "Of course! Mifune's head would have been taken and displayed by the rival lord had Usagi not taken it and hidden it away." The rhino smirked. "What I would have paid to have seen 'that,' him carrying it away with an army attempting to stop him! The rival daimyo himself tried to swipe 'Usagi's' head off, but only gave him a graze above his brow instead! The Ronin's got a scar from that." Gennesuke chuckled darkly to himself. "Usagi cut down many trying to get in his way, though not the evil lord himself. I still have money on Usagi getting him too someday. That foul lord of filth must have burned with rage, when Usagi escaped him into the mountains where he hid his master's head from him. No other knows to this day where Usagi put it. He's got back at two of the traitors to Lord Mifune already, the sell-out and the coward."

As soon as Gennesuke paused, the waitress turned and got away like her apron strings were on fire. After she'd departed, Traximus stared down at the hunched form between him and their storyteller. The Triceraton gave a low whistle. "And you still think you failed your lord, my friend?"

Usagi growled up from his low position. "I still live. 'He' does not. I should have died protecting him. Our ways are such that when you fail your master, or no longer have any such to serve, your story has ended too. There is no more to tell …"

"That's why I don't even 'attempt' living up to your standard, Usagi." The Bounty Hunter sank back into his seat comfortably and lifted his drink to his mouth. Usagi sent his friend a half-hearted glare.

The Triceraton then spoke from his other side. "If 'both' of you had been killed, Usagi, would not 'both' of your heads have then been displayed by this enemy? With his last, great guard down and an army surrounding him, more arrows or even swords would surely have gotten him eventually."

Usagi closed his eyes and turned his head away. "It was my duty to die after my lord, when I had successfully hidden his head."

"If I had given up the first, second, or third time I failed my home world, even during an important mission, I would have perished long ago. Then who would fight for it?"

Gennesuke snorted. "Not to mention some of those 'kame' and Usagi himself would have been swallowed up by that hole in the sky!"

Usagi blinked at this thought. Traximus continued. "One thing I hate about the way my home-world is run now, the Prime Leader is known for harshly punishing mistakes, and not only those of others." Traximus lashed his tail. "He 'punishes' others even for following direct orders of his when the end result is not to his liking."

Usagi's hands went a bit lax around his glass. He sank lower in his seat as he sighed. "I have known both that Lord Mifune was merciful, and other lords are not. One reason I still fight, sometimes, is to keep merciless lords from bringing more peasants and warriors beneath their rule. It is one way I still honor my master."

Traximus laid a hand on Usagi's shoulder again. "Then it is one way you still honor your Lord with your 'life.'"

Usagi gave a small smile. "Thank you, Traximus. I wish you and your people well in your quest for freedom from this 'Prime Leader.'"

The Triceraton rose to his feet, glass in hand. He turned the rest of his body away but kept his eyes on Usagi for a moment more. "And I wish you comfort and peace over the loss or your master and hope and honorable duty in a new day."

He squeezed Usagi's shoulder, (the rabbit thought it might bruise) before turning and walking away. After the large being's footsteps had faded, Usagi turned a glare upon the rhino. "Why did you do that?"

Gennesuke snorted. "To grow your fame in a place where others might decide I still owe them money, and to remind you of your own heroic and honorable deeds, when you might need it."

Usagi smiled as he closed his eyes, bowed his head over his crossed arms, and shook it, but he merely replied, "Thank you, my friend."

**What do you think now?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	20. Chapter 20

**Another missing scene from the "Big Brawl" storyline from the 2003 TMNT. This chapter also draws heavily from the episodes "Return to New York Part 3," "The Ultimate Ninja," and "City at War" storyline episodes. I own nothing that involves any of the above. **

**Please enjoy anyway. I make no money from this. So, please, enjoy instead of sue.**

For some time after Traximus left, Usagi stared at the bottom of his empty cup. Gennesuke, meanwhile, leaned back in his chair. Then, Usagi saw someone he thought he recognized from the halls of the Daimyo's house running toward their table.

Within a stride or so of their table's edge, the servant stopped and bowed to them. Usagi sat up in his seat while Gennesuke sat forward in his. When the servant of the Daimyo had straightened again, he spoke, "Honorable Usagi san, honorable Gennesuke san, I am glad to have found you. I come with a message from the Daimyo himself. You are both welcome to the feast he holds this night for all of the Battle Nexus Tournament participants. In fact, he has asked that you, Usagi from second earth, who protected him from assassination this day, and you, Gennesuke from second earth, who made it all the way to the final four competitors, come and eat at his own table this night!"

Usagi blinked. "I am sorry for making you run all this way, servant of the honorable and generous Daimyo of the Battle Nexus. I had thought with all that happened today, the after-tournament feast might not be held this night."

The servant bowed to them a second time. "The Daimyo thought this might be part of the reason for your absence. However, despite the … tragedies and near tragedies of this day, the Daimyo still wishes to honor all his guests especially you who protected him this day, and your friend who battled with so much honor so long before being beaten in the second-to-last heat of the tournament."

Gennesuke rose to his feet and looked to his friend. "What are we waiting for Usagi? One rule of honor I 'never' break is to turn down a sincere invitation to another's feast!"

Usagi gave his friend a small smile. Then he rose to his own feet. He followed the bounty hunter who in turn followed the Daimyo's servant. Usagi contemplated telling the servant to run on ahead and assure his master of their imminent arrival. He thought he could find his and Gennesuke's way to the banquet hall with ease. However, he did not feel like hurrying to the Daimyo's house.

He did not look forward to arriving at the house of one who probably felt like beginning the process of mourning yet was determined to be bright and joyful for the sake of tradition and being a good host. Also, Usagi did not feel like celebrating himself right then. Finally, he did not wish to run into and face Leonardo or his family tonight.

Still, Gennesuke would not be kept away from a table full of free food. It would be rude to simply turn away from the Daimyo's invitation and the chance to socialize in peace with his fellow contestants, showing the tournament was about peaceful and bloodless competition not war. Lastly, as soon as he'd completed these duties of an honorable guest, fellow competitor, friend, he would feel right about going home. Whether or not he could do so without running into Splinter and his family again, though, preoccupied his thinking. He could find no way without becoming a ninja to both mingle with his host and other fellow competitors while also avoiding them. So, he began to think of things to say to them and that also preoccupied his thoughts. In the end, he was glad of the servant's guidance.

As they approached the gate of the Daimyo's presence and were allowed in, Usagi paused to speak to one of the guard's on duty. "Have there been any more attacks or attempted attacks on the Daimyo's life?"

The guard gave Usagi a slight bow as he answered. "No, honored warrior."

Usagi kept his stare intent and voice hard. "Any sign of the shadow assassins who attacked him, or even of Draco or …"

"None who have attempted to murder my master or steal his War-staff this day, have been seen since the hole in the sky was closed by him with his War Staff."

Usagi nodded this time. His hard expression and voice both softened and wavered, "The Gyoji? Has there been any sign of him either since the hole in the sky was closed?"

The guard's face also softened and sagged. "No, the Gyoji has also vanished into the sky and not appeared since."

Usagi looked down to the ground behind the guard for a moment then said, "He was a faithful servant."

"He was. He did not suspect you of causing the collapse of the kame Leonardo, son of Splinter, for long. He had begun looking into others when the command came from the daimyo's son, after the attack on the Daimyo, to concentrate on judging the continuing tournament rather than investigating Leonardo san's collapse."

A wry, half-smile curved up Usagi's face. "I think I understand the reasoning behind those commands."

"All should go well now with those foes now so far away."

Usagi's gaze grew hard and focused on the guard's face. "Do not take that too much for granted."

The guard gave another bow to Usagi. The Samurai took a step forward before pausing. "Have the kame and their nezumi father already left?"

The guard's eyes widened and mouth fell open a little. "Why no, Michelangelo son of Splinter is to receive the Battle Nexus Trophy tomorrow, for winning the tournament, and all members of that family have honored seats at the Daimyo's table tonight …" Usagi had opened his mouth, but the guard continued, "as do you, honored Samurai."

Usagi shut his mouth. He took a moment to force civility and calm into his tone before replying. "Thank you." After all, it was not the guard's fault. He continued his walk up to the Daimyo's banquet hall. He was half way up the long, yet shallow flight of steps when he heard the shout.

"Usagi!"

The rabbit froze. If there had been a column nearby, he'd have been sorely pressed not to hide behind it despite his courage. As it was, he slowly lifted his gaze.

The kame came to a stop right in front of him with a flutter of blue ribbon and a grin. "Usagi! I was afraid you'd already left for your home world!"

First the rabbit's ears and then his head perked up slightly. "I could not lightly dismiss the Daimyo's invitation to the feast for all Battle Nexus Tournament participants especially since I am to sit at his table."

Leonardo's grin widened. "Yeah, you're going to sit right next to me."

Usagi's eyes widened and ears went even straighter. Even his fur stood more on end. Leonardo spoke on looking up to the ceiling as he explained. "Father is supposed to sit on his right, with me beside him and then you, then Donatello, and then Raph and Traximus so everyone who helped save him and got him to the War Staff or the War Staff back to him is together. I think Mickey would have sat with us, since he won the tournament though he's got the winner's seat at the Daimyo's left hand and then it will be the person who came in second (Kluh's awake now) and then third and so on until they've filled up the table's other side, so the last six warriors in the competition." Leonardo's face fell. "I guess the Gyoji used to sit on the end, but …" Leo's head bowed.

Usagi's gaze softened. "He was a good servant. It is a terrible lose."

Leonardo raised his head and then tilted it a little bit as he met the Samurai's gaze. "Are you okay, Usagi?"

The ronin paused trying to think of a polite and truthful answer to that. "I am … unharmed, Leonardo san if that is what you mean. And you?"

Leo smiled again a little sadly. "Better … I think the soreness and exhaustion from the being poisoned, the fight with the assassins, and holding on so I didn't fly off into space is wearing off."

Leonardo's smile suddenly fell away and his head lowered. A pinching sensation made itself known in Usagi's heart. He lifted a paw and touched Leonardo's forearm. "I know you did your best to keep a grip on the Daimyo son's hands, Leonardo san."

"I failed …"

Many things fluttered through Usagi's mind to say aloud in comfort. _It wasn't your fault. He poisoned you. He meant to kill his father and become a tyrant of the Battle Nexsus. You did no wrong. _But instead … "I heard from your brother, Donatello, you beat him in mortal combat, and yet did not exercise your right to kill him."

Leonardo looked up at him. "Yeah, I guess."

"Why did you not exercise that right? The challenge entailed threatening your family did it not?"

Leonardo raised his hand to rub the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess I should have protected them and my family better. I just …" Leonardo paused and froze staring off into a shadow behind the Samurai before him. Usagi remained standing where he was, studying Leonardo's face, but not glaring or putting any demand into the stare. Finally, Leonardo continued … "I guess … I just … I'd already killed an enemy earlier, or thought I had."

Usagi's ears and spine straightened at this revelation, but he remained quiet. Leonardo went on in a slightly stronger voice. "And things hadn't gone as I thought they would after. The city seemed to grow worse. See … he was sort of a dictator. Everyone in crime did as he said in our city. So, when I killed him, or seemed to, everyone in crime who thought they could take his place, fought over our city, like Draco and … 'the Ultimate Ninja' did over the War Staff. Besides, the Ultimate Ninja had come to kill the Shredder, not me. So, if I'd just left things alone … maybe …"

Leonardo turned his head more to get closer to facing Usagi, but still did not meet his gaze. He shrugged. "I guess I thought if killing 'him' hadn't turned out so well, then maybe killing 'the Ultimate Ninja' wouldn't turn out so well either. Maybe I could just scare him off, impress him, show him I wasn't afraid of and could beat him, and things would be alright." Leonardo sighed. "I guess that didn't work out either, huh?"

Usagi looked up with wide eyes at the tall kame before him. "I think, Leonardo san, you are very wise." Leo finally met his gaze and gave him a weak smile. Usagi sighed. "Come, my friend, let us go in to join the feast."

Usagi waited and watched to see if the title he'd used would cause the kame to bristle or object. Leonardo only grinned and nodded before turning to lead the way. So Usagi followed ending up walking just a little behind and to Leonardo's right. And they both entered the hall together.

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	21. Chapter 21

**All of these characters are from the episodes of the 2003 TMNT series in the storyline "The Big Brawl," which I do not own. But I don't get any money from this either! So, please don't sue just enjoy. **

Usagi looked over the table while staying at Leonardo's side. He did indeed behold what Leonardo had described. A long table with 14 places along its sides counting the ends stretched out in front of them.

At the head of the table sat the Daimyo raising his glass and smiling down the laden wood surface. At his right sat the nezumi Splinter. On the older warrior's right were two empty places followed by Donatello, Raphael, and Traximus. Usagi saw the Triceraton smiling at him. The expression seemed a bit smug. Usagi still smiled back.

He then turned his attention to study who sat on the left side of the table. An extremely animated Michelangelo sat on the Daimyo's immediate left with a sullen looking Kluh next to him. A fierce warrior who he knew wielded a spear sat next to the warrior from Levram. Next to her Gennesuke sat licking his lips before a full plate.

Usagi shook his head with a grin. After Gen were more warriors Usagi had thought of as threats to his own dream to be a Battle Nexus Champion. Somehow, all that seemed so far away.

He was startled when Leonardo's hand landed on his shoulder. He looked up to see the kame looking down at him with a wide grin. "Come on, the others are waiting for us."

Leonardo then started toward the empty places on the right side of the table. Usagi followed confused at the kame's actions, expressions, and words toward him. Had what he overheard earlier been only a dream, an illusion? Many strange things had happened today.

Leonardo stopped before the Daimyo and his father. He then bowed and took his seat. Usagi did the same.

The Daimyo raised a glass toward them and spoke in a loud voice. "Welcome, welcome to you both, heroes of the day, defenders of the Battle Nexus, the War Staff," he lowered both his glass and his voice as he finished, "and my life."

Usagi bowed his head and closed his eyes at this. "It was 'my' honor, Daimyo."

"Like Usagi said, it was my honor too." Leonardo added.

Something occurred to Usagi. Of course, they were still in the Daimyo's kingdom. Their host honored him. If they were to snub him now it would also be a slight against their host.

Usagi's heart, which had risen again, plummeted. However, he firmly abstained from reaching for the glass within his reach. He instead picked up the nearby chopsticks.

"Are you well, Usagi san?"

Usagi glanced up into the crinkling face of the Daimyo. His lips smiled. He tried to smooth out the lines of his own face as well beneath the concerned eyes of his host. "How could I not be, Daimyo? I am seated at your table. You greatly honor me."

The Daimyo leaned back, his own smile still in place, but his eyes remained on Usagi. The Samurai felt another stare upon him. He glanced up into the narrowed eyes and twisted mouth of Leonardo. The Yojimbo turned his gaze straight ahead. Perhaps if he avoided their stares, they'd look another direction.

"Michelangelo!"

Usagi flinched slightly. Then he concentrated on the scene before him. He saw the turtle in orange had stretched his arm and chest out across the table along with his chopsticks reaching toward a tray of dumplings. Currently, the turtle was frozen and staring at his father. Splinter was scowling at him.

The nezumi's voice lowered, yet sounded even more menacing. "If you 'must' keep taking advantage of the Daimyo's generosity in this way, you can at 'least' ask someone to pass the tray to you."

"Well, I ain't doing it."

Splinter looked down the table. Usagi's eyes followed, though, he tried to keep the rest of himself stiff and thus not enter this family quarrel. The kame in red was leaning back from the table his arms crossed in front of him. The last statement had come from him. The kame in purple beside him rolled his eyes, grabbed the tray, and passed it closer to Michelangelo who grinned and took it.

Splinter closed his eyes and shook his head briefly and gently. "Forgive my sons their manners, Daimyo. I fear in concentrating on their training in self-defense, I may have neglected their manners." He turned his hard stare upon the kame in red. Who glanced at him, unfolded his arms, and rested his hands on his knees while looking down.

The Daimyo's warm laughter wafted above them all. "I am not offended Splinter-san. Manners often differ across the multi-verse and I know you and your sons have had little occasion to practice those of feasting in another's hall." Splinter smiled sadly back at the Daimyo.

Usagi's ears rose. They had? Why was that?

Usagi turned to look at Leonardo. The kame in blue's eyes had closed, and he seemed to be pinching the skin over his beak. Usagi realized his friend, or perhaps former friend, was uncomfortable, and it was rude to stare.

The Samurai lifted his chopsticks and began to eat. After a moment, his chewing slowed. Something was not right. His stomach squeezed and roiled, and … he felt sick. Usagi paused and studied his plate.

For a feast taking place in a palace overflowing with warriors from so many worlds, the food was very like that of his own homeland. Everything looked, tasted, and smelled like what he usually ate, at least with the rich and powerful. He'd had the like many times before with no problems like these.

Usagi squinted and tilted his head. What was causing this? He'd taken from the same trays as everyone else around him. Usagi went over his latest actions. _The drinks I had earlier! _

Then Usagi frowned. He'd had them on an empty stomach, true, but … He didn't recall having a few drinks sometime before a meal affecting him like this before. The liquid had been from another world, but he recalled his sensei pointing it out and calling it a surprisingly mild vintage for its strong fragrance and taste and odd color, when he'd come to the Battle Nexus with him. _But I did have two glasses of it, and it had been hours and hours since I'd last eaten then. When did I last eat before this meal? _Usagi realized he couldn't remember. As he tried to think it through his memories grew strangely muddy running together refusing to separate and become clear.

Usagi squinted. Why was his vision blurring? He couldn't shake his head or do much else to clear either his thoughts or sight without drawing attention to himself. The Ronin didn't know how much time passed or who did what around him except eat. That he was "keenly" aware of. His stomach protested the knowledge and sounds and smells. The Samurai became desperate just to keep down what he'd already swallowed. He made his breathing slow, deep, and steady, concentrating only on that.

"Usagi?"

The Ronin looked to his left and up into the face of the kame with a blue mask. He knew his name. It just … wasn't coming to him the moment. Oh, he hoped he wouldn't have occasion to need to know it soon.

The kame's voice sifted through his muddled mind. "Are you alright?"

Usagi tried to think of something to say. It was harder than he liked. Then the Daimyo stood up drawing the kame in the blue mask's attention. The rest of the table fell blessedly silent. The rabbit realized he had a pounding headache. Unfortunately, the Daimyo's voice didn't help.

"And now, guests, it is time for the Battle Nexus Champion to give a speech."

Usagi despite his muddled mind still clearly heard the kame next to him murmur under his breath. _"Oh no …"_

He thought he heard another sound down the table, but soon the kame in orange was talking, and talking, and talking loudly and animatedly. Finally, he stopped what seemed an eternity later. Usagi almost sighed. But then the Daimyo spoke again. "And now, let us drink a toast to our winner of this year's, Big Brawl!"

Usagi winced at that shout. Still, he stood with all the others and lifted his glass. Wait … Usagi's eyes snapped open and bulged. He was expected to drink what was in it. Oh no!

Usagi felt the world begin to shift slightly side to side around him. No. He, he just needed to keep standing a little longer … He could fake it! Raise the glass to his lips, keep them pressed together, and then lower the glass and himself again to sit and …

"Hey, Usagi, I think maybe you shouldn't …"

He tried to turn his body to look toward the sound of the voice addressing him. Then the shifting world swirled and seemed to shoot up. His head collided with something. Everything went dark …

**What do you think now?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	22. Chapter 22

**All of these characters are from the episodes of the 2003 TMNT series in the storyline "The Big Brawl," which I do not own. But I don't get any money from this either! So, please don't sue just enjoy.**

"Usagi!"

Leonardo gaped down at his new friend. Donatello had stopped midsentence and now stood gaping down at the sight before them too. The rabbit lay collapsed across the table. His eyes were closed, and he wasn't moving.

Leo fell to his knees beside him. His voice came out much softer now. "Usagi?"

"Murder! Murder! We aren't free of assassination attempts! Someone has tried to kill the Ronin who saved our Daimyo!"

The turtle glanced up at the female server staring down at the Ronin hands clutched at the sides of her head and her bottom lip bitten by small, white, top teeth. He really hoped she was wrong. Another voice some ways down the table was not encouraging either. "Maybe they already have killed him …"

Leonardo's heart contracted and seemed to stop pumping. He knelt over the rabbit and shook him by the shoulders. "Usagi!"

Donnie knelt down on the other side and pressed his fingers to the side of the Ronin's neck. "Well, he's definitely unconscious, but he has a pulse."

Leo's head snapped up. "How strong?"

"A pretty good one considering his other symptoms."

"What were you going to sa …"

"Let me through! Let me through!"

Leonardo looked up to see the rhino with the broken horn wearing a kimono with Samurai swords strapped to his side plowing through a crowd toward them. Donatello looked up from his examination and turned a scowl upon the bounty hunter. "Do you know what he's eaten or drunk since 'we' saw him last?"

Leo watched the bounty hunter freeze. "He … had a few drinks with me."

"And me."

Leo looked up into the guilt-stricken face of Traximus standing a few paces away. His eyes widened. He opened his mouth to ask about this bit of news, but Donnie beat him to it. His genius brother's voice rose to new levels. "You. Let. Him. Drink?!"

The rhino crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. "He's had more than that with me many times before. He holds his liquor well for someone his size."

Leonardo turned to watch Donnie. His brother's eyes were slits. His teeth were grit together. His ugly gaze was fixed on the rhino.

Leo's heart squeezed even tighter. "Donnie, why is that bad?"

Donatello screamed at Gennesuke. "He sustained a concussion less than eight hours ago!"

The Daimyo straightened where he stood just behind an also standing and staring Splinter. They had both been watching over Leo's shoulder. Their host's voice went soft. _"What?"_

Somehow, Leo found he hurt for the Daimyo. The man had just lost his only son, and a faithful servant, and now might lose a guest who'd just saved his life. Leo was confused by his sympathy, though, because beneath it lay a vast, empty, blurry plain, where his own feelings should have been.

He and all his brothers had suffered through lectures on concussions from Splinter or Donnie sometimes both. Living dangerously in sewers made of metal made that inevitable. Though Splinter only occasionally indulged in a glass of Sake, and told them they had to wait until they were "adult" mutant ninja turtles to try it themselves, they'd still heard mentioned in the long list of "don'ts" following blows to their heads followed by blackouts or dizziness "don't consume alcohol."

Leo's own terror spiked through the blurry, empty void. His blood was freezing, muscles stiffening, breath shortening. He looked down at the limp form of the rabbit in front of him. Usagi should KNOW better! "Are … are you sure, Don?"

Donnie snapped in the way he only did when he was absolutely terrified and knew beyond doubt, he had a right to be. "Of course, I'm sure! He went flying through a silk screen and landed on the floor! I rushed out to check on him and he was out cold! He stayed that way for maybe a minute! I couldn't really track the time! He woke up a little while after that and seemed fine, but since he was 'out cold,' he is "not fine" now and shouldn't have been drinking! He shouldn't have had alcohol for at least 24 hours!"

Donnie's tirade was cut short by a few sharp taps sounding behind Leo's shell. The turtle-team leader turned to see the Daimyo leaning on his War Staff. The leader's face was fierce above it. His shout carried through the hall. "Healers!"

Figures in white robes, they'd seen treating the injured guards and defeated warriors earlier, ran up. They Bowed to the Daimyo but stopped nearer the limp form of Usagi. Their master's voice rang over them. "Take Miyamoto Usagi to a private chamber and get the Master healer to him. Before he arrives, see to him yourselves!"

Splinter turned and bowed to their host. "Excuse, me, my old friend, but may we go with him?"

The Daimyo nodded, looking down at the old rat, but apparently speaking to his servants he spoke again. "Allow Splinter and any member of his family …" The rhino stood straighter and opened his mouth, but before he could speak the Daimyo nodded to him too "and Gennesuke, to accompany Usagi and stay near him, as long as they do not hinder his treatment."

"May I also accompany him?"

The others looked to the now, even guiltier looking Triceraton in their midst. The Daimyo stared at him a moment and then nodded. The two healers bent over one the rabbit, but Leo lurched forward. "No, please!"

They stopped and stared at him. Leo let his hands hang in the air over his friend. "I … I'd like to help carry him," he looked back over his shoulder to the Daimyo. "If … if you don't mind. He did the same for me!"

The Daimyo nodded. The healers backed away. Leonardo moved in and picked up his friend. It was surprisingly easy. Usagi was much lighter than any of his brothers, maybe about the weight of Splinter. Leo looked up at the healers, "Lead the way."

. . .

The healer waved something in front of the rabbit's nose. It twitched. The eyes above it wrinkled and then shot open. The warrior flipped over onto his side and wretched. The healer picked up a nearby bowl and held it out. Leo flinched and grimaced as the rabbit brought something up out of his stomach. After that horrible sound ended, the healer guided his patient by the shoulder back down onto the cushioned bench he lay on. The healer's soft voice was oddly comforting. "That happens sometimes after blows to the head or drinking."

Usagi scrunched his eyes closed as lantern light fell over them. A hoarse voice whispered from his throat, _"What happened?"_

Leo opened his mouth to answer, but again, Donnie beat him to it. "Usagi!"

The rabbit's head snapped up and eyes swiveled to the sound. Leo also thought he saw him flinch. His brother went on mercilessly at his new friend. "How could you even think of drinking tonight? You had a concussion! You didn't wake up for several moments while I fought alone today."

The warrior looked down and squinted in silence a moment. Then his voice came out wavering, but a little stronger. "That 'was' … unwise of me." He raised his gaze up again to meet Donnie's furious one. "I think I had forgotten. I accompanied Gennesuke into the city and then to the inn, and I … got caught up in our earlier plans and simply forgot. I imagine the repercussion have been immense. I have made a spectacle of myself tonight, and just now did great injustice to the Daimyo's hosting."

"Such things happen," the rather jovial voice of the healer supplied. "I have treated the like many times before. My lord has known through long experience warriors can be rather intemperate. I think you are actually one of the more self-disciplined ones who have come here. Your current condition has as much to do with your sacrifice in defending my lord's and my own life as it has to do with your celebrating afterward." The healer then paused and met Usagi's gaze. "Just let this be a reminder to 'never' do it again." Usagi looked away at these kind words from the healer now wetting his brow with water scented with some calming oils Leo assumed wouldn't hurt his friend's eyes if they dripped into them.

Traximus' voice caused Usagi to look up again. "I must apologize too, my friend. I had no idea when I bought you a second drink you had been so injured."

Usagi now stared up at the ceiling. "I did not tell you, nor you, Gennesuke."

The rhino huffed causing Leonardo to look at him and see a face nearly as angry as his brother's. "I 'asked' you if you'd been hurt and needed a healer while we were enjoying our first cup of the strange drink."

Usagi moved his head just slightly to meet his friend's gaze scowling back. "I did not recall having shed a drop of blood, or breaking a bone, or spraining a joint, but …" The muscles of the rabbit's face relaxed and he looked back up to the ceiling. "I had forgotten about the blow to my head and waking up from a dark and dreamless sleep what seemed a short time later. I 'knew' I should not have drunk anything strong after such an injury. I simply forgot about the incident altogether. So much else had happened … it seemed unimportant ..."

"Unimportant!"

Leo's shout caused his new friend to jump slightly on his cushioned bench, Splinter and the healer turn hard gazes upon him, and his brothers to back up.

"Unimportant! Usagi you could have died!"

The rabbit stared at him a moment and then began to speak in a soft, soothing voice, "I hardly think so Leonardo. With the best healers in the Battle Nexus …"

All of Leo's brothers slapped their hands over their faces and Raphael added a "Here we go!"

**What do you think will happen now?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	23. Chapter 23

**Characters and places are from the "Big Brawl" episodes of the 2003 TMNT series. I do not own them.**

"What does that have to do with it?!"

Usagi stopped and stared at Leonardo. He would have thought the significance of his words' to be obvious. The Samurai's gaze then flicked around the room. He took in the faces and forms of the others there to see what their reactions' to Leonardo's outburst were, and, therefore, what his should be.

His friend, Genn, stood straighter. The rhino's ears swiveled forward to take the kame in blue's words in. Traximus was staring with his arms crossed, silent and still, but the hardness in his lines showed tense alertness. Splinter was glaring at his eldest, but his mouth remained closed, and his hands rested lightly atop his staff. Leonardo's brothers seemed to have backed up a few steps behind their brother. They watched over his shoulders with wrinkled brows, though.

Leonardo went on his voice louder than Usagi had heard it. The Ronin watched in amazement. How wide the kame's mouth opened as his words spilled out. Usagi felt his own eyes widen at the warrior's admonitions. The kame's arm and index finger were straight, rigid, and pointing to him as he thundered on. "What if the assassins had still been around watching you?! What if they'd attacked you and Gennuske on your way back here?! You could have lost consciousness in the middle of a fight! You could've not had the chance! Merely faltering in a duel could have gotten your head swiped off!"

When the kame paused, lowered his arm and hand, and stood breathing hard still scowling at him, Usagi cleared his throat and tried to respond in a calm, measured tone. "I suppose that was all possible, Leonardo san, but it did not happen ..."

Leonardo responded again, arms rigid at his sides this time, but leaning forward on his toes. "You're allowed to be so concerned about my life, when we barely know each other that you'll stop competing in the tournament to keep an eye on me! But 'I' get upset when you risk your life by doing something stupid, after you save my family and me from death and dishonor, and 'I'm' overreacting?!"

Usagi stared even wider eyed when Leonardo paused again. The kame in blue was shaking with rage. Then, the Samurai noticed the kame wearing red uncross his arms and reach out from behind to lay a restraining hand on his raging brother's shoulder. His own voice sounded high and concerned if a little rough. "Leo! Lay off! He's not one of us!"

The turtle in blue turned a glare on the one in red. "'You' lay off, Raphael! If someone in New York City tries to help us, 'you' don't abandon them! And 'we' don't turn our backs on our friends after they nearly get themselves killed!"

Raphael raised both his hands in the air as he answered. "He didn't mean to! He just forgot! Okay! Lay off him!"

Leonardo pointed his same, rigid index finger down at the floor before he replied. "I can't just lay off, Raph! Ever! I'm the leader"

The turtle in red grimaced. "Yeah, 'Fearless,' but not of 'him'!" Raphael pointed past his brother at Usagi. The Samurai raised his eyebrows at this.

Leonardo growled back at his brother. Then he turned away from him and the rest of the room toward a wall. He crossed his own arms and bowed his head. His voice lowered, but hardened even further. "We've fought together multiple times now, Raph … You weren't there for most of them. You didn't see."

The turtle in red lifted his shoulders and spread his hands. "Yeah. But we've noticed anyway that you two have gotten thick as thieves."

Usagi's ears lifted and eyes widened at this comparison, but he remained silent as Raphael continued.

"That still don't make you the boss of him!" The kame wearing red pointed a finger again and this time poked it into the back of Leonardo's head. Usagi's eyes widened at the boldness of the gesture as well as Raphael's words. "You're making too much of this."

Leo turned and yelled back at his brother just as loud as before. "If there hadn't been a feast tonight, or his concussion had been worse, or it had flared up when he was still just with Gennesuke …"

"I would have taken him to the nearest healer I could find."

Leo turned his glare upon the rhino who'd interjected. The eyes within the blue mask narrowed at Usagi's friend. "And what would you have paid that healer with?"

The rhino's eyes went about as wide as they could. His ears flicked forward and stood as straight as they could. One of his hands came to rest on the hilt of one of his swords.

Splinter moved between his son and the bounty hunter. Even as he faced the rhino, the Nezumi's words were to the kame behind him. "My son, that if enough!"

Leo grit his teeth but said nothing. He looked down at his father, who spun around and looked back up at him. Splinter continued in an even, but stern tone. "You have only been with your brothers and I most of your life. I put you in charge of them whenever I was not with you, including three years ago, when I came to compete in that Battle Nexus Tournament. Your behavior tonight, 'might' be appropriate with one of your brothers, but Usagi is 'not' your brother. He is your friend. Casey Jones and April O-Neil might well protest such treatment from you with good reason."

Leonardo turned his face away from his father. He stared at the floor, but in the direction of Usagi. Splinter raised an eyebrow as he continued to stare at his son. "He is a very 'dear' friend or ours, now, my son, one who has saved your life and likely Donatello's as well. He defended me before today, and defended out reputation. But, he has not declared himself part of our family like Miss O-Neil has nor invited or hosted us in his family's home like Casey Jones. Like them, though, he 'is' 'older' than you are. Perhaps, in some ways, he is more experienced. You should apologize to him for your behavior." Splinter turned his stare upon the kame in purple. "And since I am asking that of your brother, Donatello, I believe you 'also' has some apologizing to do to Usagi san."

Donatello made a face, but then he turned toward the cushioned bench. Usagi met his gaze. The kame in purple's voice sounded both contrite and polite. "I am sorry, Usagi san. Master Splinter is right. I'm not your healer or your brother. I just …" Donatello cast his gaze to the floor, "You 'are' a friend now, I hope. And … I don't like people taking foreseeable, dangerous risks when those risks can be minimized. I …" He fell silent. His shoulders bent forward. His eyes fixed their gaze on some point on the floor.

Usagi cocked his head at the kame, studying him. Then he smiled and replied. "I accept your apology, Donatello san. And you were right. I did not take precautions I could have. I am sorry to have caused 'all' of you such concern tonight." The rabbit cast his gaze over the faces of all those in the room. Donatello gave a smaller, weaker smile, at the end of Usagi's words. 

Traximus gave a slight nod and smile back. Usagi thought he saw an apology of the Triceraton's own in it. He smiled back his forgiveness, and indeed, non-concern.

Gennesuke huffed loudly through his wide nostrils, but then grinned at him. Usagi returned a slight nod and grin. There would probably be more words between them, later on, but partly because they would not be traveling in different directions sooner than they would have if this hadn't happened. It might be the opposite.

The healer briefly removed the damp cloth from his brow, gave a slight bow before him, and then resumed his work. Splinter also sent a slight bow, and a smile, his way. Leonardo's brothers in orange and red smiled widely at him from behind their brother in blue. Leonardo, though, would not look up.

Splinter glanced up at his son, then to the rabbit on the bench, and then to his eldest again. The rat's slightly raspy voice filled the room. "Leonardo …"

The kame in blue gave a head jerk nod, but his eyes never left the floor as he said, "I'm sorry, Usagi san."

Splinter gave a slight smile up at him. Then he turned somewhat to take in the rest of his sons with his gaze. He tapped his staff lightly on the floor. "Now, I think we should all leave and let this great healer tend to his patient untroubled by us."

The other three turtled bowed, turned, and began to walk away, but Leonardo remained still. Splinter turned back to and raised an eyebrow at his oldest son. "Leonardo …" Usagi raised himself on the bench slightly to watch this exchange. The kame in blue finally raised his gaze and looked toward him. The Ronin's mouth almost fell open.

Tears had dampened the light-colored fabric of the kame's mask. The warrior's voice came out strained and broken this time. "Usagi just …" Leo took in and let out his breath in a huff. "Just promise me you'll never do that again!"

The rabbit stared at the kame without speaking for a long moment. How could he promise that? But, how could he say nothing? He finally gave the kame a slight nod, "I … will … try, Leonardo san."

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	24. Chapter 24

**I own nothing here.**

Leo sighed heavily, his shoulders dropping between the back and front of his shell. He'd heard Mikey, and sometimes Donnie, and even Raph (very rarely) say that. It was more honest than a bright or even tear-filled promise to "never, ever do it again." He often found them doing exactly the same thing the next week or even the next hour after such promises. Usagi was wiser than that, he could tell, too wise to make a promise he couldn't keep.

Remembering the rabbit didn't have to give him even that much, Leo lifted his chin in response. "Thank you, Usagi san." Then he turned and began to follow his brothers. His father fell into step at his side and just a little behind him.

. . .

Usagi lay back on the cushioned bench. He stared at the ceiling above him long after the steps of the turtles, Traximus, and the near-silent ones of the rat had been replaced by silence. The healer began to bathe his brow again.

The rhino in the dark corner spoke from it. "You are going to get spoiled by such treatment, Yojimbo. You'll have me waiting on you paw and foot on the road."

Usagi gave a chuckle. A hint of the tension of what had just happened in the room broke through his laugh. Then the rhino laid his ears back slightly. He spoke with more seriousness and some confusion. "I thought you said a family wanted to kindly separate themselves from you. Was that them?"

"Yes."

The rhino huffed. "That didn't seem to be what was going on to me."

Usagi replied more softly. "Nor I."

. . .

By the time they came to a lonely hallway, Leo had fallen far behind the footsteps of his brothers. That was when he felt his hand taken by a clawed one. The voice from beside him was both as soft as the fur covering that hand and as firm as its grip. "Come with me, my son."

Leonardo sighed and let himself be led by his father. Splinter took him to a rock garden. Just over a low wall surrounding it, one could see a fountain in a courtyard beyond. Some trees grew beyond that and tufts of dry grass, having sprouted out here and there, rattled in the slight breeze. Strange stars shone above the roofs surrounding them. Leonardo automatically sat down on the top step of a short flight of stairs and leaned his shell back against a pillar. He drew his knees up and stared over them and down at his feet.

The rat stood in front of him looking down with gentle eyes. He placed both hands upon the top of his staff before addressing him. "Leonardo, my son, I could not be prouder of your choice in friends. But may I ask, why has this friendship sprung up so fast and gripped you so hard? There is so much fear in you over Usagi's understandable lapse of mindfulness."

Leonardo's muttered reply came from behind his knees. "It's not fair."

Splinter raised his ears at this. Then he gazed at the still-moist eyes above the knees covering much of his son's face. A peace settled over the old rat's heart. Splinter knew now that he'd made the right decision to bring his son out here.

However often his eldest might "feel" or "think" these words, he almost never spoke them out loud if his brothers were present. If he did speak them before his brothers, things had already gotten ugly and only grew more so. Tonight, Splinter felt they'd only come out because of everyone else was absent.

The rat sat down in front of his son, crossed his legs, and laid his staff over his knees. Then he looked straight into his Leonardo's mostly hidden face. He let another moment of silence hang between them as if they had all the time in the multiverse and then commanded. "Explain."

Leo gave a long sigh. "I love April, Master Splinter. She's like a sister to us all. Well, maybe a daughter to you. She's done so much for us: kept out secret, let us stay in her apartment, defended me when the Shredder came after us all …"

Splinter raised an eyebrow. "Do I sense a 'but' coming, my son?"

Leonardo sighed and nodded. Splinter leaned forward while looking straight into him. He lowered his voice. "Leonardo, 'April' is not here."

Leo took in a deep breath. He raised his head. His eyes were closed. Then he blurted it out. "She's 'Donnie's' special friend."

Splinter raised eyebrows both his eyebrows. "Ah."

Leo bowed his head, hiding his face again. "She' … Both of them admired Baxter Stockman before the mouser thing happened. The rest of us didn't know who he was before then. When they talk together over computers, no one else can understand them. That's the way 'I' feel when I talk about strategy and training and honor to my brothers, but Donnie has someone else who understands him. Only Professor Honeycut and Leatherhead can keep up with them when they talk like that: hacking, programming, theories on time and space. None of us even think about the things those two can talk about together for hours."

Splinter nodded. Leonardo went on. "Casey's saved our shells a hundred times. I'd call him in a heartbeat if we were all in trouble, but he and Raph just hang out together, because, they're the same …"

Splinter nodded. "And Michelangelo?"

Leo let out another breath and bent his head further. "I … I try to listen to him talk about his cartoons and comics sometimes. He doesn't really have another fan of that stuff around to talk to about it with. But, just recently, he made a real superhero his friend. He had an adventure none of the rest of us did, because none of the rest of us would have dressed up and gone out alone to do the stuff he did in the open like that." A true smile filled Leonardo's face.

"So ..?"

Leo turned a soft glare upon his father. Splinter did not react. His son's words confirmed his suspicions about the expression not being for him. "Why am 'I' the only one who's new friend is from another dimension?"

The corners of Splinter's mouth drooped as his eyes enlarged. "I cannot answer that for you, my son."

Leonardo looked down. His own legs lowered from before his face and crossed themselves in front of him mimicking his father's pose. His arms, though, remained crossed before his chest. He continued to stare at the floor rather than his father sitting on it. "He's not coming with us, is he, especially now?"

Splinter gave another smile. "Maybe, maybe not. We will see. But, my son." Splinter reached out and took his eldest's chin in his hand raising it until he met his gaze easily. "You are not alone at home in your intense and passionate interests. When I first began to teach all of you, 'I' had some of the same feelings you do. Donatello was far beyond me from about the time he could talk and read in some ways. I could barely comprehend the thoughts he rambled out loud to me then. Raphael loved to train, but he loved breaking things and defeating others more than tranquility."

Leonardo gave a wide, knowing smile. Splinter gave him a soft, like smile back. "And Michelangelo, I fear I have not tried as hard as you to take an interest in his cartoons and comics. I was glad, though, he was made happy by traveling out of our humble, hard world by way of his imagination and such things, but I always feared it would take him out into the 'real' one with its real dangers unprepared as indeed it did …"

"Would have, but you prepared him for it well. It went better than it could have." Leo smiled again.

Splinter smiled back softly, but his eyes again grew sad. Leonardo frowned at this. He listened to his father's voice with even greater intensity as the rat spoke on. "I wondered, in the early days, if any of the children I'd adopted and I would ever see eye-to-eye."

Leonardo frowned and opened his mouth. Splinter cut him off, "However," he pointed the end of his staff straight at Leonardo's nose. "There was always 'you,' my son. 'You' took an interest in your studies beyond simply trying to please me, or learn to break things, or be a superhero. 'You,' joined me for tea and listened to my stories of Japan. 'You' I could count on to teach your brothers what I taught you, both because you had learned it so well, and because you also thought it so important …" Splinter stopped a moment. His own eyes grew moist. "I knew when we had tea together, and discussed what Yoshi taught me, and found something of Japan in our searches on the surface, above our home, you would share my joy in it."

Splinter stared harder at Leonardo. "I would freeze in fear upon realizing I had not heard Donatello tapping on his computer, Raphael's fists colliding with his weight bag, or Michelangelo flipping his comic book pages, for too long …"

Leo nodded grimly. How often had he looked out of his own room, or the dojo, upon realizing that himself to see one of his brother's snoozing, or absent because they'd left without telling him? The former made him smile. The latter made him glare.

Splinter's voice grew almost strained making Leonardo look up to meet his father's gaze again. "But Leonardo, our time together doing the activities we both enjoy, and your brothers do not as much, are very precious to me just as their time with the friends they've made beyond our family are precious to them. I am beyond grateful, after all my fears, the world above our sewer home has produced allies and friends for all my sons. I am very grateful the multiverse has produced one for you too, but I shall always consider you my special friend, Leonardo, almost as old a one, in fact, as the Daimyo is to me."

Leo looked down a chagrinned smile on his face. Splinter smiled back and then tried to put some comfort into his next words. "You may not see him often, but I think you and Usagi shall remain brothers' in your hearts even with much distance and time away from each other even if he does decide to return to his own world."

Leo then bent his head again. More tears left his eyes. "What if … he 'does' die? What if I'm not there with my sword in his world, like I'm not with my brothers in ours sometimes, and he … I thought he was 'better' than me, sensei, wiser. I thought I could worry less about him than Raph, Mikey, and Casey … even Don and April. Then he ..."

Splinter's heart ached as he stared at his son. His eldest did not even say all he could, how he gave him the unenviable position of keeping three turtles his own size and strength in line, whenever he stepped out to provide for them or even attend the Battle Nexus Tournament. Michelangelo, Raphael, and even Donatello had fallen in love with the world they'd grown up below: machines, pop culture, television. Leo had grown to love a world he'd never seen a continent and ocean away probably because he'd told him of it with love. He, gently, applied steady pressure on his eldest to be the best he could be, because he depended so much on him being the best to make the others their best, to keep the rest of the family safe and happy and motivated when he was not there. He'd had to. He'd had to scavenge for them all above ground before they grew up. He had to now let them explore the surface world without him because they "had" grown up, and he could not last forever. He was so much older than all of them, the baby turtles he'd found when he'd already been a rfull-grown rat for some time. He'd chosen well. He'd chosen permanently. And the choice rested heavy upon Leonardo's shoulders. And with April, and Casey, and even Karai and the whole city gaining Leonardo's notice and protection, he'd noticed his son's sense of responsibility expanding well beyond what he'd meant it to. He could not control that sense of expanding responsibility, now, after planting it in his son himself. It was beyond his restraint. Dared he try to "fix" something for him now, by doing the same to another placing on them a new responsibility? No. Being unfair to two instead of one would only expand the problem.

Splinter instead drew his son into his arms and embraced him. "I am sorry, Leonardo san, but unless Usagi chooses to become part of our family I cannot make him do anything, even be careful. But I will extend to him our offer as I agreed."

Leonardo smiled in relief. Sensing this, the old rat raised an eyebrow behind his son's back. "But remember my son, if he 'does' accept, Usagi is older than you, and thus will then be in a position of authority over 'you.'"

Leonardo's eyes shot wide open even behind his father's back.

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	25. Chapter 25

**References events seen in the first, second, and nineteenth episodes of the 2003 series takes place as a missing scene in the twenty-sixth episode of season two. I do not own anything.**

Splinter sent Leonardo to the room they would share with his brothers in the Daimyo's palace very near the Daimyo's own. The brothers had all talked at great length after they'd moved into their new home in New York City (after the mouser incident) about how much they enjoyed having their own rooms. However, after Shredder's attacks on them or those from other deadly enemies, Splinter had noticed Leonardo especially stayed closer to his brothers even as they all fell asleep. That did not even take into account the time Leonardo had almost been taken from them all, and they had barely left his side. Daylit hours of trouble often brought nights needing reassurance, and today had been one of those days.

So, Splinter had told the Daimyo not to worry he had no extra rooms set up for the four competitors, including the winner, who'd accidentally gotten themselves entered into the competition. His sons would share his. If any of his sons complained about this to him, he'd simply remind them he'd told them to stay in the lair.

As things stood, however, he was going to enter that room late himself "later." He had a certain rabbit he needed to talk alone to first. He wondered if Leonardo would be awake awaiting an answer when he joined them, or if the days events would catch up to his eldest as soon as Leonardo lay down.

Splinter entered the room Usagi rested in. The Healer turned a mildly concerned expression upon him. Splinter smiled kindly in return. "How is your patient, Great Healer?"

"I believe the swelling inside his head has gone down and he has relaxed, but I cannot let him fall asleep for sometime."

Splinter smiled wider. "I think I can help with that. May we have some time alone while I speak with him, keeping him awake?"

The healer stood and bowed. "As my Daimyo thinks highly of you, and I have observed your respectful words and actions to my patient thus far, I will step out and down the hall, for now. But I will be in to check on him later and be merely a call away if my patient shows any sign of his condition worsening."

"Understood."

The healer rose and left. Usagi raised his head slightly to watch him go and then looked at Splinter. The rat glanced around. His nose twitched. Then he looked to the rabbit. "Where has your friend gone?"

"Gennesuke went to bed. It has been a wearying day, and he liked the idea of enjoying the Daimyo's famous hospitality." The Samurai gave a fond smile as he spoke of the bounty hunter.

The rat sat down on a stool near the cushion-covered bench the rabbit lay upon. The Samurai peered up at him curiously from it. The Nezumi spoke first. "I must apologize for my sons' behavior."

The Ronin continued a bit hesitatingly "I … admit I am most confused by that … Leonardo seems so … calm … usually."

Splinter bowed his head and chuckled. When he looked up, his eyes met those of the rabbit with a curious expression of their own. "Before I explain Leonardo's actions and words to you, may I ask 'you' a question, Samurai?"

The Yojimbo closed his eyes and sighed. "Yes …"

Splinter tilted his head to the side wondering at the resignment the Yojimbo exuded now. "Did you yourself ever have a brother or sister?"

The rabbit's ears straightened above his head. He looked to the Nezumi now. "Why is 'this' the question you ask me?"

"Because an older brother might understand Leonardo best while a younger brother might see his own elder brother, or perhaps even sister, in his actions and words toward you …"

The Samurai stared at the rat in silence for a moment before replying. "I was the only son of my father …"

The Nezumi nodded. "I had four sons before I knew what to do with them. And all of them were small, but also roughly the same size. I could not guess their ages at first."

The Samurai's ears straightened above his head again. His eyes widened. He'd surmised the kame had to have been adopted to call this Nezumi "father" but he hadn't thought to hear the tale of how that came to be. He found his curiosity jumping out of his mouth before his decorum stopped it. "How did they come to be with you?"

"They were lost." The Nezumi smiled gently. "I think the one who lost them truly wanted them, but he lost them in such a way he couldn't reach them, and I didn't know if he would take them back from me or even indeed if I could carry them back up to him, or if he would be there to find when I tried. While I pitied him, I thought the simplest …"

The Nezumi stopped and smiled wider to himself as Usagi stared with wide eyes at this odd explanation of his friend's family. The Nezumi's next words were somewhat sad to him but also made more sense. "No … the simplest thing to do would have been to simply leave them, I admit, but I myself had been a recipient of kindness even greater than my own then it seemed. I didn't know what I was getting myself into at the time."

Usagi laughed a little, softly. "Indeed, I don't know how any who adopt four children at once fully can."

Splinter smiled back at the rabbit. "You are right young one." Then he continued. "I found something nearby to carry them in and brought them back to my home. While difficult, it seemed easier and safer than trying to take them back to the one who'd lost them. Though, I did think of him from time to time."

Splinter paused, frowned to himself, and thought of the boy again. He'd be an adult now. Did "he" ever think of the pets he'd lost? Had he asked permission to bring four infant turtles' home? If the boy had not and his own parents had been angry, would his sons have ended up in the sewers anyway?

Splinter shuddered slightly. Usagi frowned upon seeing this, but did not interrupt again. Splinter continued after a moment. "I was … surprised, at how fast they grew. Thankfully, I kept up." He smiled to himself while Usagi cocked his head at this confusing statement, but the rabbit remained silent, so Splinter continued. "Leonardo walked upright first. Raphael and Michelangelo followed soon after seeing him try. Donatello watched them all for some time, and then more cautiously tried it himself. By the end of the day, after Leo went first, all his brothers were walking, though some went down on all fours again to go faster when excited or when they were tired I think. The more Leonardo walked, though, the more Raphael seemed loathe to crawl, and the more Michelangelo seemed apt to try running. Donatello continued on in his more cautious practicing. I still might not have come down on the side of believing my Leonardo the eldest among them, though, if he had not also spoken first."

The rat paused and looked closer to crying than Usagi thought he had ever seen him. The rabbit's eyes widened. Splinter met his gaze with the full weight of his many years. "Do you know, young Samurai, what my eldest son's first word was?"

The Ronin shook his head somewhat shy to break through the weighty tension with his voice. The rat continued putting a hand to his chest over his own heart. "My name."

Usagi's eyes widened. The rat, who had been leaning forward at this, sat back. "After that, Donatello began to speak. He seemed far less cautious about using his mouth than his feet. Raphael then began in an angrier, determined voice, and Michelangleo began jabbering a storm of sounds that were sometimes words. Leonardo spoke less, but he had spoken first. Since he had also walked first, I dubbed him 'the oldest.' Raphael had walked second, but spoken third, and Donatello had walked last, but spoken second. I, therefore, had a more difficult task putting those two in an order in my mind. Michelangelo had not walked or talked first, but did both with the most enthusiasm. I dubbed him 'the youngest.' I am more convinced now, Raphael is second-eldest. But Donatello's stunning intellect and soft heart causes him to take on more responsibility than even I have at times in caring for us."

Splinter paused a moment before continuing. "Caring for them has had more challenges than I could have dreamed of and also more rewards."

Usagi stared at him respectfully, having no idea why the rat spoke to him so, but determined to give him the full honor of listening. The Nezumi went on. "I imagine, as one who has held high positions, you know what is is to feel cut off at times from the hearts of those you command?"

Usagi paused a moment to think. Then he nodded. He had, at times, felt closer to his fellow officers than the men who looked up to them, but laughed among themselves. Splinter's face grew grim. "That is how a father sometimes feels when his sons' make plans to disobey him together, for fear he will ruin their fun, or simply not understand. But I am not alone in this in my family. I have also caused Leonardo to be in this position at times by making him the 'leader' of the four. Now he also shares that weight."

Usagi nodded solemnly. The Nezumi smiled gently and seemed to study Usagi, which made the rabbit leery for a moment and then confused as the rat spoke on. "That is why, I think your friendship means so much to Leonardo. He has no fear if you beat him you will then flaunt some authority I gave him over you, and thus cause him to fail the charge I gave to him."

Usagi's eyes widened a moment. Splinter continued. "And, as you have probably noticed his brothers do not follow him in everything. He wields swords almost constantly, they do not. Raphael often loses his temper with flying fists. Leonardo, most often, does not. He is more likely to seethe. Donatello loves to look for wonders in the stars, in machines, in everything that makes up our world. Such things are often beyond his brothers and me." Splinter smiled gently. Usagi wondered at the humility it took the great warrior to speak thus of his son. Splinter continued. "And Michelangelo …" He bowed his head and shook it. "As proud as I am of him, Leonardo trains harder than all his brothers, and they all train harder than Michelangelo does. I fear it will always be so."

The rat then grimly raised his head again and met the rabbit's gaze. "This is my family with all its flaws. Four brothers, none the same, all making each other happy, frustrated, and miserable by turns, and an eldest trying so hard to bring order and harmony to it all. When he fails, especially to keep them safe, he bursts like a dam as you saw him do earlier here."

"But … I am not a brother of his, Splinter san."

The rat raised his ears and eyebrows at this before replying. "He wants you to be."

Usagi's own ears straightened and mouth dropped open.

Splinter continued. "He asked 'me' to ask 'you' to come home with us and join our family. Upon listening to him, I came to the conclusion this idea hardened in his mind when he learned you had no surviving master or family. I think he got the idea you also have few friends." Splinter's face melted into a sad expression. "You must understand, now, from all I have told you, Usagi san, family means so much to him. It means so much to all of us. Friends are beginning to mean more to us recently, but just recently. To be alone, to have all family stripped away … has been perhaps the greatest fear any of us have. It burrows into our subconscious as the most terrorizing of possibilities, and not an entirely unlikely one."

Splinter looked away. Usagi's muscles bunched as he wondered what hunted this family or what dangers or diseases they faced to make them all fear thus. Splinter looked back to him. "So, you see, it is not at all unexpected to me Leonardo would be upset to learn you wonder alone or even with a single friend in your own world. To lose all, or even all but one, of us is his own greatest fear."

Usagi's eyes looked to a wall in front of him as he contemplated this. After long moments of silence he replied, "I do not know what to say. I had thought you all wished to distance yourselves from me."

Splinter's eyebrows and ear-tips flew up. "'Distance' ourselves from you?"

"Because I am a master-less Samurai."

Splinter's ears went down as fast as they'd gone up. He sounded almost wounded. "Oh … young one, that never even entered my thoughts."

Usagi bowed his head and closed his eyes in shame.

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	26. Chapter 26

**Taken from the 2003 TMNT episode "A Tale of Master Yoshi," the sources on Usagi listed before, and my own imagination. I own nothing but the latter if one can say they "own" their own imagination. I also make no money from this. Enjoy! **

Usagi closed his eyes and kept them so for some time while breathing deeply. Shame welled up from deep inside to fill him again. It needed to be stilled and settled before he opened his mouth next to speak. This family had wished to welcome him, to honor him, and he had mistaken their intent so greatly …

He realized now he had been angry for Gennesuke's sake before. Perhaps that anger had colored everything else he'd heard said afterwards. The healer as well, had confided to him, after Gennesuke left and before Splinter came, that such injuries as his often affected the mood especially when mixed with alcohol to turn it dark. That also explained some things.

The shame he felt now though, drove Usagi along. Leonardo had been right, and he had been right of Leonardo's words, in one thing. He was master-less now and family-less. He felt he had done this family wrong and there was only one way for him to make it up to them. "What would you have me do, honorable Splinter-san?"

"I?" Splinter grinned down at him. "Am I not the one making the request of you?"

Usagi then opened his eyes and turned them on the smiling rat. The latter's face went serious at full view of Usagi's own expression. The Ronin asked again with a voice tense, "Would I fit into your world well, do you think?" He had no wish to dishonor this family further.

Splinter's frown caused the folds of his face to droop further. He sighed. His whole, slim body seemed to deflate with the escape of air. "Usagi … our world is different from your own. Veeerrrrrry different. It is not one of mountains, valleys, plains and forests … Not where my sons and I live in it at least. We live in a city, one of the greatest in fact. A large, large city, which can seem rather crowded for everyone else, but as we live …" He paused. His stare became more intense, in fact he became tense this time. "We live beneath it … in tunnels without the light of the sun, let alone moon or stars, and not much air movement either." His eyes grew sad and head tilted. "I … do not know if you, who have wondered the countryside … would like such a life."

Usagi blinked. How could ..? No. He must be mistaken.

This was an honorable family. The father, Splinter-san, was famous among those from the multi-verse now here, a hero, a winner not only of a competition, but of the hearts of those who'd watched him and many who had fought him only three years ago. His master, one he's sometimes referred to as his father, had been a winner of this battle of warriors some time before him. He'd raised his sons to be warriors, and one had won this competition of the greatest warriors today. This was a great family. The only stranger thing than such a family living underground was such a family's greatness going unnoticed by their own people in their own homeland.

Usagi could only say now in a somewhat dazed voice, "I … will take this into account."

Splinter sighed and bowed his head his own eyes closing. "Young one … what know you of my history?"

Usagi tilted his head while staring at the nezumi again. "Well, I know when my sensei Katsuichi first saw you, you were much smaller, and silent, and … "skittery" … as he put it. He said you crawled all over the Daimyo watching while your maser Yoshi fought, and the Daimyo chuckled at this while his son looked on with a sneer."

Splinter lifted his head and laughed long before he looked down at the rabbit again. Usagi smiled seeing tears of a different variety shining in the nezumi's eyes now. "Ah, thank you, Usagi for bringing back that memory to me."

Usagi nodded. "Katsuichi said he was only a little surprised when the Daimyo gave you permission to compete in your master's stead later, when you told him …" Usagi went silent and bowed his head.

Splinter though, did not lose his smile, though it became sad. "And since I did such a thing then, how could you think I would look down on you when 'I' have outlived my master by so long myself?"

Usagi looked up with curiosity again. "But … was he not … an adoptive father to you, like you are with your sons?"

"Hmmmmmm …" The nezumi sat up. His own eyes closed. He remained still and silent for a long moment. Usagi watched while his own nose quivered slightly an old hangover from childhood showing his curiosity.

The nezumi finally opened his eyes and looked down. "I considered him my father … in some ways. In truth, I was already grown when he took interest in me, and it was more the woman he loved who did so in the beginning. He did the same mostly after her death."

Usagi flinched at these words but listened on in silence and with a focused stare.

The nezumi continued. "Like his love before him, Yoshi was kind, gentle, and generous toward me. In truth that was all I needed to know about him to care for him then. The lack of danger from him, the constant care he took of me, was comforting, was safety. It felt much like the time I had had a mother constantly giving those things to me when I was very young indeed. And thus, it felt like family." Splinter smiled wider. His eyes became wet again. "Still, when he was taken from me, I didn't have the same considerations you did after you lost your Lord Mifune. I neither thought of a need to regain my own honor nor pass along Yoshi's bloodline or even his name to a next generation. I thought … well, I 'didn't' think sometimes, out of the loss, the shock of it. And then, when I did think and act again, it was out of hunger and the familiarity of finding food as I had before his lost love found me. It was only when I found my sons, I thought of something else, of the love shown to me first by a kind lady and then by a generous man. And I felt the need to be both kind and generous to my sons too. I then passed on his name to them."

Usagi watched Splinter. He slowly mulled over his words like a tough, yet sweet mouthful of food. _He was a member of a class beneath his master Yoshi's and this woman's, far beneath, maybe even an outcast! An orphan with a mother, but no father perhaps? That can often happen in terrible circumstances. Yoshi's beloved and then he took Splinter in and cared for him even after he was grown out of their kindness, and he was thus loyal to them. "That" is what he is telling me that he comes not out of, but was brought into, a house, a lineage of honor. _

It would be rude though, beyond rude, to state this to the nezumi's face. Splinter had attempted to be both clear and yet not vulgar in telling him this. Usagi would not mention it back. How could he communicate, though, he understood?

Usagi tilted his head in thought. He realized he had never noticed Splinter carrying a sword or a weapon of any kind beyond the walking stick given to him by the Daimyo when his leg was injured during his last bout right before his win. However, when thinking of Leonardo and his brothers ... "Why do you carry no weapon, but your sons do?"

Splinter nodded gravely. "I had an enemy by then. The one who murdered my master was out there, alive, as far as I knew." Splinter's eyes turned to steel and his face to stone. "I was determined not to lose my family again." The nezumi's gaze and expression gentled again. "I told all my fears to a benefactor of mine, the adopted father of Yoshi. And he sent the gift of my sons weapons and other things over the years. We do not live in a land only a certain class and certain bloodlines are allowed to carry weapons in. The poor are allowed to carry things more dangerous than we do to protect themselves with." A cheeky smile came to the nezumi's mouth. "Something like those weapons Traximus told you about."

Usagi shuddered thinking of the "weapons" Traximus told him of. "I am somewhat glad you kept your family using weapons it takes longer to learn to wield affectively, and which cause less damage."

Splinter chuckled in his throat. Then his expression grew serious again. "I am not of my master's blood, nor was he of his teacher and father's, nor are my sons of theirs or mine, but that has not mattered in the formation of our family. My only concern is for your own happiness. Would you even be healthy in our home or pine for the life you knew?"

Usagi paused and looked away. "May I tell you of my own history?"

Splinter's eyes widened slightly, but he nodded.

Usagi smiled and went on. "I was the only son of my father. That is true. But I spent much of my childhood with two other children, Mariko and Kenichi. I had a friendship with Mariko and a rivalry with Kenichi, but it was with him I traveled to a school which was supposed to make great warriors out of us. On the way, we saw some who'd been to that school attacking someone else. The one they attacked defeated them all. I was awed. I turned aside determined to learn from that one instead. Kenichi did not."

Usagi's smile widened. "That one I saw on the road was Katsuichi, my sensei, who first brought me here. It took me a long time to convince him I could be a good student, but eventually he agreed to teach me." Usagi's smile fell away. "The next time I saw Kenichi, perhaps the closest I had to a brother, was when we faced each other in a tournament. We were the last two competitors. He had grown in skill in my absence, but so had I. I defeated him. I gained the attention of, and an offer to be the "retainer" of, Lord Mifune. Lord Mifune also gave me my swords then." Usagi tucked his chin into his chest and went silent a moment his eyes only half-open.

Splinter watched in silence with a straight face. Inwardly, he feared where this story would go. He knew Usagi was a ronin now. He knew Lord Mifune was dead. In spite of the pain he felt for the young rabbit, he feared more personally the ending of the story between the young rabbit and this "Kenichi."

He had not forgotten it was a partially an unrequited love and a rivalry that had caused the death of Teng Shen and the saddening of Yoshi. Even his own name came from that tragedy. And his memories of it had caused uneasiness when he watched his sons, particularly Leonardo and Raphael, compete and fight each other with words and fists.

Usagi went on. "I did not go with Lord MIfune right away, but continued my training and even returned to my home village to say goodbye. On my way, I stopped by an inn and was asked to evict a drunken sword-fighter, who was not easily parted from his cups." Usagi gave a gentle, sad smile and lowered his voice. _"That one too deep in his cups, but still dangerous with his swords, was Kenichi."_

Splinter's eyes widened slightly. His grip on the top of his staff tightened, but he remained silent as Usagi went on. "I got him away from Saki and into a bed. He blamed me for his failures. I, in my wisdom, told him his own choices had made his own course just as mine had made my own. He had none to blame, but himself. He came to believe the same, and we traveled home together."

Splinter released a soft breath. His whole body relaxed at this turn in the tale. He otherwise remained quiet and still as he listened. Usagi went on perhaps unaware at this change in the Nezumi's demeanor. "Our village needed us both as it turned out. It was attacked by bandits while we were there together. They even took Mariko captive. They regretted it. Between the three of us and my father, the attack failed. I was set on going to my Lord Mifune, but someone had to become my father's successor and our village's protector in my place."

Usagi fell silent. He seemed to look down his own chest with half-open eyes again. "It was Kenichi who did that and even married Mariko after I left as I later heard."

The rat sat straighter and his ears lifted at this.

Usagi went on. "Meanwhile … I served Lord Mifune, loving him and my service to him until it ended. Then, when I looked back toward the home of my childhood, Kenichi had taken my place so fully there, I tasted the bitter cup that had driven Kenichi to others. I realized then how hard it is to be wise sometimes."

The young rabbit fell silent his eyelids low and form drooping. Splinter gazed in silence and sadness upon him. The rabbit shrugged. "Some are born in high places with high duties. Yet, a single battle, a single death, can send them hurtling to low places. Some start out in lower places and climb up to higher ones. I have seen and done both, but without my own decisions, the path set out for me would have taken me different places. I admit this. Your own path seems strange to me, but I understand climbing up through the kindnesses of the great and falling again with their deaths, and then having no place to go afterwards you belong to."

Splinter laid a hand on Usagi's shoulder. His voice was soft and raspy. "That is what Leonardo is offering you now …"

Usagi looked up with curiosity shining in his eyes again. "Do 'you' want me to join your life?"

Splinter slumped slightly at the question, but his keen eyes meant Usagi's unflinchingly. "It is a hard life and a lonely one, and perhaps more cramped than you are used to. Its possible unfitness for you, not your unfitness for it, concerns me."

Usagi's eyes scrunched up. He turned his head to stare down toward his stomach again. Splinter himself then looked down toward the floor, cleared his throat, and said, "There is one more thing I must tell you of us before you make your decision, Usagi."

The rabbit looked up his curiosity shining in his eyes again. Splinter raised his gaze, but his eyes looked less eager to meet the gaze of Usagi this time. "We are ninja."

The Samurai jerked away from the nezumi's touch.

**What do you think now?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	27. Chapter 27

**I admit, though I believe the bare bones of this story are true to the comics, I have made up the details of the incident in flashback. Perhaps this is the way it would have happened in the cartoon universe rather than the comic if the two disagree? **

**This chapter made me change this story's rating from "K" to "T," although, I probably should have changed it a long time ago. Still, be warned major sadness and horror ahead. **

_Drip, drip, drip … _

There was no other sound. Later, Usagi would be grateful they had not done something about it. Perhaps they'd been in a hurry. Perhaps they'd underestimated his ears. Whatever reason they'd allowed that slight sound to continue, it had announced their presence to him. He'd protected his Lord for another night.

He'd spied their forms beyond the screen. His Lord slept alone that night. He'd been up late doing important work for his people and had not wished to disturb his wife and son's sleep by slipping in among them. So, Usagi had guarded his lord's sleep alone while another retainer had guarded his wife and son. It had been done before. Both spouses would afterwards greet each other in the morning and ask about each other's sleep. Their son would greet his father with a wide smile over his breakfast.

That night, Usagi studied forms he could see through the screen appearing there as the dripping grew louder. They were shadows seen thus. Something hung from where a hand should be at each of the forms' left sides. They moved smoothly toward where his lord lay.

Usagi tightened his form like a bowstring drawn back. Then he sprang. "Willow Branch" slashed through the screen. He gave a battle cry as he followed, "Hiiiiiyah!"

He brought "Willow Branch" perpendicular to his torso. Then he swept it forward. Blood dripped from "Willow Branch's" edge. Both heads rolled across the floor along with two others. Usagi's eyes widened.

Four heads? There had been only two intruders. He'd only killed two at least.

Light shone through the screen. His lord must have lit a candle. Usagi squinted. As his eyes adjusted to the new light, he squatted down to study the heads on the floor.

Two of them had squinted, frozen eyes. These could just be seen through slits in black hoods covering all else. These must have belonged to the intruders. He looked to the other two heads.

His heart froze. His mouth dropped open. His stomach squeezed. Bile erupted up his throat into his mouth. He shut his jaws and lips and swallowed to keep it back. His heart then hammered in his chest. His eyes widened, and then watered. He stumbled backward. _No! No … no, no, no!_

His body froze. Another thought passed through his mind. _Lord Mifune! Lord Mifune must not see this!_

Usagi turned around. Mifune stood behind him. His eyes took in the sight behind Usagi that his Samurai had just seen.

Usagi fell to his hands and knees before his lord, preparing to speak. But then a roar filled the hall, the house, the valley beyond. Usagi kept his own mouth shut throughout it. Nothing he could have said would have been heard. The cry, shout, challenge from his lord held all the fury within Usagi's own heart and more. After all, he had only been their guard. He had never been a husband or father. Usagi winced at the sound of his Lord's misery anyway.

The sight his Shogun was seeing filled him with shame. The lady of this land, Lord Mifune's wife with her hair still in its sleeping braid, but her beautiful face no longer attached to its beautiful neck. Nearby, their son's head ... Their bright, beautiful boy had pulled him into his games at times, just the other night in fact. They had both stayed up late and outside to listen to night sounds together. His Lord had not objected to these "playtimes." He had hoped it would grow his son's fighting spirit and his trust in his most loyal guard. Much good that had done it seemed … The boy's mother had often looked on with a gentle smile gracing her face. Lord Mifune, also, had watched sometimes with an amused grin until his son noticed his presence and ran to him.

As soon as his Shogun's roar faded away, Usagi spoke up. "I am sorry, my lord! I am so sorry! It was my duty to protect them, prevent this! I am sorry! So, so sorry!"

Usagi began to sob, a further addition to his shame. He pressed his lips shut hoping to speak again when the faltering in his voice had vanished. He pressed his face into the floor until its expression could be made straight and emotionless again to face his fate. He well deserved it. He felt his chest and throat tighten. Both his goals seemed to be slipping farther away in his last moments. Perhaps he had been too young for this job after all …

The Shogun spoke. His lord's voice sounded chocked above him. Usagi felt a sense of awe and wonder as he listened. "Never, Usagi. This could never be your fault. Nor mine."

Lifting his head, Usagi saw Mifune's paw raised over his body shaking as it pointed to the two bodies on the floor behind him. "It. Is. Theirs! Theirs, and whoever hired them! And. They. Will. PAY!"

The last word was also a roar. Usagi's face grew grim, creasing into a grimace of fury. For, he knew it was true. The one who'd hired these ninja, who had, according to the peaceful expressions on their faces, beheaded his Lord's wife and son in their sleep, would pay. The one who'd sent them would pay just as much as they had. No. They would pay more.

. . .

The memory washed over him, almost always did when he heard the word: _Ninja. _The Samurai was breathing hard. His headache had returned. Usagi squinted at the wall straight ahead of him no longer able to look at the nezumi at his side.

He forced one word out of his mouth. "Why?"

"Why? I wanted my sons to be invisible, invincible, and inciteful, so they could survive in a world that would not welcome them."

Usagi's eyes narrowed further. His breathing grew even harder. The nezumi saw this, sighed, and spoke on. "My sons and I try not to use any of these abilities to steal, to assassinate, or to benefit any who would pay us to do such things. I only taught them these things to survive, and sometimes to help others survive."

The rabbit's voice came out a rasp. "Who?"

"Friends, those threatened because they cared for us, or suffering due to their own misfortunes, or even their own passions for peace or justice. That has happened too …"

Usagi's ears went up. He turned his face slightly toward the other warrior again. Though there was still a hardness to his gaze it looked more guarded than sharp. The nezumi dared to meet it with his own gentle, sad one. "My sons and I are not Samurai. We are not Yojimbo. We are not even Ronin." The rat looked down to the floor before he went on. "Yoshi never called me 'guard,' 'retainer,' or even 'warrior' while he lived. I was not any of those things to him then neither did I call him 'Shogun.' He … was more a Samurai himself, my master. He was a secret keeper and guard of a group of beings to whom he was loyal to the death literally."

Usagi tilted his head, which now faced the rat fully, in curiosity. His eyes softened. The nezumi went on. "I thought none who saw my sons and I, after we changed, would 'wish' to see us. So, I began to teach my sons to be invisible. When I realized their voices, and the footsteps of their large bodies, would frighten others, I began to teach them to be silent. When I realized our survival would depend on those who would also threaten it, I taught them to be inciteful. I thought they would need these skills to survive. I did not realize the sense of justice I also taught them to have would drive them up above our home to help others even to the point of exposing themselves, but such they have done. And, they have tasted both sweet and bitter fruit from it."

Usagi's ears went back. His eyes squinted at the nezumi again. "And why should I believe any of this?"

Splinter nodded. "If it were only me, Samurai, I would care you thought so little of me, but not fight it. For my son's sake, I ask you to think over all you have come to know of us, all our actions you have seen and heard of, and judge us by them and not by the title of 'ninja.'"

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	28. Chapter 28

**Referenced to "Things Change" episode and The Ancient One character along with the "Big Brawl" episodes themselves. I own none of these things. Please enjoy for free. I make no money, so please don't sue. :) **

"You should listen to him, young one."

The Ronin turned his head to see his host entering the room. "I would not be alive right now if not for his honor." The Daimyo bent his head. "And his sons have always been more honorable than my own."

Usagi's eyes flicked to the nezumi to see the other warrior's ears had gone back, his eyes had gone wide, and the corners of his mouth drooped in the saddest expression he had yet seen there. The Samurai's heart dropped. Somehow, he could not imagine the ninja he had known ever having so compassionate an expression on their faces nor did it feel like a lie. His spirit relaxed as he bent his head in acknowledgement. "I see and know."

"Good, now, if Splinter would be so kind. I'd like to have a word alone with you myself."

. . .

"So, are we really gonna take that rabbit back to live with us?"

The four turtles sat together in a small circle, facing each other, discussing their day. For normal people, being transported to a nexus and battling against the best fighters in the multiverse and high-end level assassins would have been exhausting. But Mikey had not come down from his high of winning the championship or speech-giving about it, yet. Every one of his family members knew when he did, he would crash. Also, when you are a teenage mutant ninja turtle used to completing Splinter's training routines and then playing hours of video games or going on patrol-runs across the rooftops of New York City, your stamina is quite impressive.

Leo answered Raph with a raised eyebrow. "He might do the same for us if our roles were reversed."

"Right." Raphael raised an eyebrow back. "And run that one by me again? Seems to me he has a pretty good friend from back home, and it don't look like he's been starving or going about in rags there either."

"And is he gonna share my room?" Mikey asked this while pointing to himself. Then his hand turned into a palm pressed into his plastron. "Because the 'Battle Nexus Champion' is not sharing his room."

Everyone else there groaned. Donnie interjected this time. "He can share 'my' room Mikey, or Leo's, or live where April did until she got her new place."

Mikey's grin widened, his head lifted even further, and he gave a thumb's up. "Okay, then I'm good."

Raph lifted his hands and his voice. "What is going on here?"

"What do you mean, Raph?"

Raphael pointed his thumb at his own plastron. "'I' was the one who saved Master Splinter from 'jail' along with Traximus. None of the rest of you had noticed he was even in there! Maybe if you had, we wouldn't have needed the Samurai bunny to defend us 'or' the Daimyo!"

The other three brothers stared at Raph. Their faces had fallen. Even Mikey looked subdued. Leo spoke first more softly this time. "Raph, all of us are grateful for what you did. And you're right. None of the rest of us had noticed. You and Traximus saving Master Splinter might have saved the whole Battle Nexus. But he might have been executed, maybe along with the rest of us, if Donnie and our new friend hadn't protected the Daimyo from an assassination also meant to frame 'us.' Or, at the least, it would have made it a lot harder for us all to escape from here together. And father would have lost a good friend."

Donnie interjected. "Not to mention Leo might have died! Because 'I' sure didn't know how to cure him from that poisoning, and neither did 'you,' or the best healer in the Battle Nexus!"

Raph's face fell. He looked down with crossed arms. A voice came from the doorway that they all knew well, low and raspy. "Well said all of you, though you all should have listened to each other's tales more closely earlier."

The turtles looked to the doorway and saw their master standing there. "Master Splinter!" They all rose and went over to him. The rat smiled and embraced his sons. Raphael spoke again first. "Man, I was beginning to think I'd have to track you down again!"

Splinter looked up at him with a grin. "And, if I have not said it already, I am very glad you and Traximus found a way to my cell and a way to free me from it when you did, Raphael." He looked next to Donatello, "Just as I am proud of how you stayed with your brother, Donatello, when he needed you most," he looked to Michelangelo, "and of how you won the championship after rescuing your opponent from a rip in space and time, Michelangelo." He looked to Leonardo with a sad face, "And of how you attempted to save your enemy who was also the son of my dear friend." His smile returned. "I am very proud of all my sons this day."

They grinned at him, but then Leo's worried face came back. "What did Usagi say, Master Splinter?"

The rat raised a hand he'd been touching his eldest son's arm with and placed it atop his staff, but he continued to meet his son's gaze. "He is speaking alone with the Daimyo right now." His ears lifted, and he tilted his head, "That is the reason I left."

Mickey lifted his face to the ceiling and groaned. "Ooooohhh … you mean he didn't give you an answer?"

Leonardo's worried face returned in full force. He glanced from his youngest brother to his father. Splinter kept his gaze on his eldest as he nodded, "Yes, I am afraid 'that' is what I mean."

Leonardo's voice rose and wavered. "Why?"

Splinter frowned. His gaze dropped to the floor as he thought. "It is a very great change to consider my son. He'd probably have wanted time to think even if we had not been interrupted in our talk over it."

Leo looked down, crossed his arms, and also went silent in thought. Raphael threw an arm around him and leaned against the other turtle. "See, Fearless, maybe he's not chomping at the bit to leave behind everything he's ever known and throw in his lot with us after all!"

Splinter looked up and raised his ears at this. But his gaze pierced Leonardo. "Raphael might be correct, my son. While much tragedy has befallen the young Ronin, his home may still hold and represent many good things for him. Do not think your offer spurned because of what he thinks of you or us if he decides differently than you wish."

Leonardo's smile returned as he shrugged. He looked back to Splinter, "That's just … kind of what I feared. That if he did disappear, no one but Gen would miss him there, and that … that didn't seem right. I thought he should have … more, friends or family …"

Splinter raised his head, a serious expression entering his eyes. "Ah. Like us if the ceiling of our old home had crushed us, or all but one or two of us, before the four of you reached the upper world that first night?"

Leo grimaced, looked down, and nodded. The other three turtles watched him with grim, horrified faces filled with a sudden and sickening understanding.

Splinter reached out and laid a hand on his eldest's shoulder. "Even if that had happened to any of us, a few, like the Daimyo, would have missed us. I'd already told him to contact you if anything happened to me during my first competition." The four looked to him with slightly open mouths and wide-open eyes, but only Raphael said, "You did?"

Splinter nodded and put his hands back on the top of his staff. "I did. And another might have missed and looked for you too. And Usagi, also, has those who would have missed him at home as well, I think. Some will likely try to be at his side in times of trouble as you would, Leonardo. Be content."

The eldest turtle gave a still sad, but wider smile at the rat.

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	29. Chapter 29

**Developed from the characters and situations in the "Usagi Yojimbo" comics by Stan Sakai and episodes of the 2003 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" series.**

"Usagi … did you know I visited with your Lord Mifune?"

The Samurai's eyes widened at his host. "No …"

He smiled. "I did … when I learned from your sensei you had accepted the offer of a Shogun to be his retainer, I thought I had better ask him if inviting you to participate in the next Battle Nexus Champion would be agreeable to him. After all, you would have to temporarily leave his service to compete in it."

Usagi stared at his host and again, words burst from his mouth though with less power. His breathing had quickened. "What did he say?"

The Daimyo smiled. "He said he would be pleased for other rulers, from lands he had never seen nor heard of, to see what a fine retainer he had, and perhaps come to fear attacking his land that had such a protector."

Usagi bowed his head and closed his eyes. His voice came out lower, but deeper as well. "'That' did not happen."

The Daimyo's smile became twisted and sadder. "Lord Hikiji never attended a Battle Nexus Tournament."

"No …"

The Daimyo looked at his guest for another moment before asking "Would you like to know what else he told me?"

Usagi opened his eyes and lifted his gaze a little. After a moment of meeting his host's gaze, he replied, "Yes ... if that would be agreeable to you …"

The Daimyo nodded. "I joked to him not to let himself die or I would not have a competitor in my tournament trained in the great Katsuchi's unique fighting style."

Usagi raised his head meet his host's gaze. For the first time, a spark of anger lit his eyes as he looked upon the ruler of the Battle Nexus. The Daimyo's own expression grew sadder as he continued. "And the tiger Shogun bowed his head, sighed, and said he wished the end of a Shogun's life did not also mean the end of those of his fine warriors …"

Usagi's mouth fell open as he watched the Daimyo with even wider eyes. The ruler bowed his head further as he continued. "He said he hoped you would prevent that for him and the rest of his warriors. He speculated perhaps part of the reason for the tradition was ensuring a lord of such fine warriors would give even more thought to protecting his own life as doing so also protect theirs. But he also surmised, surely, if he did die, it would have nothing to do with your skill or loyalty. If he did die, surely, the land and its people and his own family and other loyal warriors would be less protected with your blood staining the ground along with his own …"

The Daimyo looked back up at Usagi. Streams of tears darkened the white fur around his muzzle. The Daimyo continued, "Mifune knew not how true he spoke that day, young one. Surely the whole multiverse was partly saved through your actions today, yours and others. Your lord would have been proud of you today and proud of how you have continued to protect others throughout your home world with the same skill and courage you protected him with and continue to protect his memory with to this day …"

Usagi forgot he had been a warrior of cunning, skill, and hard determination carrying his lord's head undaunted through a forest of weapons aimed at him, a sea of soldiers surrounding him, and a waterfall of blood from his own brow blinding one of his eyes. At that moment, he became the youth who'd lost one who'd given him more praise and had more pride and trust in him than his own father had. And he'd just learned that pride in him would have remained unstained to this day if his lord was before him now.

Usagi leapt off the cushioned bench. He ran full force into the torso of the Daimyo of the Battle Nexus. There, he buried his face in his red robe and sobbed.

The Daimyo froze. His body knew this sensation. He had a flashback to the last time he'd felt it.

His son had been defeated in a battle he'd tried hard to win. He had returned to him head hanging and steps dragging, certain he'd be ashamed of him. He had praised his son's undaunted spirit to the very end of the bout instead. That had been when he'd begun to cry against him within sight of the victor.

Unfortunately, after that night, that cry, his son's opponent in that lost bout had been relentless in reminding his son of his loss "and" loss of control that day. He'd brought it up every time his son passed him in the city let alone the times the Daimyo's son had been forced by diplomacy to pause and interact with him. Alone, before crowds, context had not mattered to the other warrior's boasting to his son's face of his victory over him and his son's cry before others after.

His son had drawn away from him then. He saw that now. In those days, he'd thought it merely an affect of his son's training stretching throughout most of the day and the night. Still, he'd been so proud of his son's new discipline and greatly honed, increased skills then. He had been, until he'd learned his son, during a brief disappearance from their nexus, had used those increased skills to track his old opponent back to that warrior's homeworld and kill him there.

Perhaps that had been when he'd actually lost his son, when his opinion of him had stopped mattering more than a powerful and boastful opponent's. He knew the fuller extent of that loss, when his forgiveness of his son's lack of diplomacy and mercy had been met with an arrogant sneer from its object. He had known it further still, when his punishment of confining said son to their palace had been circumvented by attempts to undermine his powers running their nexus. Those escapes had had the purpose of pursuing other duels with more warriors across the multiverse. His son had been doing thus for centuries.

Yes, he had lost him before today. He had not felt his son weeping against his stomach and chest in a long, long time. He never would again. But, for now, he had another wounded-in-spirit warrior weeping into his robe. He wrapped his arms around the rabbit and remembered what that felt like.

**What do you think?**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	30. Chapter 30

**Drawing from "all" over the first four seasons of the 2003 TMNT show.**

They lay next to each other, facing each other, and scowling at each other. A lot like things had been in their old home, all their family members now slept in the same room, close together. So, once more, Leo and Donnie couldn't sleep.

Raph slept closest to the door behind Leo's back. Normally, that was Leo's place. He'd be glad to have it now. However, both Raph and "Donnie," whom he'd begun to think of as "the traitor," had insisted their nearly assassinated brother sleep between them.

Raph slept near the door, because he was always ready for a fight. If anyone brought one to them in the middle of the night, they'd have to deal with him first. Also, second-oldest privileges'.

Splinter lay on a mat set lengthwise against the opposite wall of the one his turtle-sons' heads pointed at. When asked, by Mikey, (whose inflated ego made him even more apt to shoot off his mouth than Raph now) 'why' he got so much room and a prime spot, Splinter had replied "I was invited; thus, they set it out for me this way ahead of time." Which was also likely why his mat and blanket seemed aired out and theirs smelled of what Donnie had guessed aloud must be the Battle Nexus equivalent of moth balls.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Donnie, closest to the wall and window, Mikey slept on. Leo had to admit he'd advocated for that one himself. After all, "he'd" nearly been assassinated by a bad loser today. Who was to say the "Battle Nexus Champion," even if a fair amount of luck and fatherly sacrifice had factored into his win, wouldn't be a target? Despite his wounded pride, their youngest brother hadn't fought taking the spot picked out 'for' him very hard. He liked fresh air.

Now came the hard part for the brothers with "cool-colored" masks: Getting sleep and not killing, A.K.A smothering, their warm-color-masked brothers. How would they all make it through till morning?

Raph's snore was a low, slow-building rumble that turned into a roar. It always made them think of a bear. Mickey's was a high whine. It wasn't quite a mosquito's tenor, more like a sour-singing canary.

Leo was scowling at Donnie for helping put him between them instead of closer to the door. He was the "leader" and their usual protector. He "ought" to be by the door! Besides, there was such a thing as oldest brother privileges. It would have gotten him farther away from Mickey's whine and whistle at least.

Donnie's scowl back told him "If 'I' have to put up with it, so do you. And it's for your own good anyway. 'You' were unconscious for hours with a high fever, because 'someone' nearly succeeded in assassinating you and 'his' hired assassins are still on the loose!"

Both waited for their exhaustion to overcome their annoyance edging toward rage. There'd been more than one incident in the past, when Master Splinter had had to peel one of them off Mikey or Raph in the middle of the night. Those incidents had "not" been pretty.

"So …" Leo tried to head off such an explosion by taking advantage of the fact they were both still awake.

"Hold on …" His genius brother cut him off. Donnie turned away and Leo shut his mouth and scowled a little darker while his brother unzipped, reached into, and rummaged around in his supply bag. He turned back with something dark and cylindrical in his hand.

A beam of white light shone between them. Then it became more diffused. Leo took his hand away from in front of his eyes. Don laid out his flashlight between them. He could now see his brother's broad face with its band of purple mask much clearer. He imagined the same was true of Donnie's view of him.

Leo almost chuckled. This was old stuff. While he'd tried to time his "So" between Raph's gurgling and Mikey's whistling, it would have been annoying doing such throughout a whole conversation. Donnie read lips rather well having decided it would be a useful ninja skill. He'd agreed to train him, mostly from books and practicing with the TV volume turned off (often to Mikey and sometimes Raph's loud complaints.) Learning to read each other's turtles lips' had proven a different challenge than reading those of humans, but with plenty of opportunity to practice only living with a rat and other turtles.

Leo smiled. In an alien world, this felt like home. He was almost glad for his other brothers' snoring. Almost. "You nearly took Usagi's head off in the arena today, Don. Then, when I wake up later, you were bowing to him. You seemed okay with the idea of adopting him now too. What happened?"

"You collapsed alone with him, surrounded by ten-foot-high, one-and-a-half feet thick stone walls. How did you think I'd react? All of us would have reacted the same way to that happening to dad or one of us."

"How 'were' you the only one who reacted then? I thought I heard dad shout too, but I didn't hear Raph or Mikey say anything."

Donnie's brow wrinkled. His mouth twisted as he looked down toward his feet instead of at him. "I … uh … got knocked out of the competition and was on the sidelines watching by then."

Leo's face creased in sympathy. "Oh. Sorry, Donnie ..."

His little brother's facial creases deepened. Leo thought he saw his jaw set too. His lips barely moved enough for him to understand what they were saying. "'That' wasn't the worst part." Donnie glared back at him even darker than before. Leo's brows shot up. His brother snapped. "Leo, you were sick! Your fever spiked! You passed out! You couldn't talk to me, and I had no idea why! I didn't have my computer to look up your symptoms with, and all the scrolls were in a writing style 'like' ancient Japanese, but with differences too. You 'know' I don't read 'modern' Japanese as well as you and dad! Anyway, you couldn't help the way you were. Dad went off to talk to the Daimyo and disappeared! I didn't know he'd been arrested … All I had to help me help you was a healer who said you'd been poisoned, before consulting his scrolls for several minutes, before disappearing to treat the Daimyo instead of you … and … Usagi."

Leo winced again, deeper this time. "I'm sorry, Donnie …"

Don looked down toward his feet again, and shook his head. "If it hadn't been for Usagi, you could be dead right now ..."

Leo brows rose with genuine curiosity. "What did he do?"

"All I'd been doing was trying to bring your fever down with a wet cloth and think of all the possible ways you could have been poisoned. I even accused Usagi."

Leo frowned at him. Donnie looked at him, "I know, I know, but I didn't know what else to think. When our healer left us, Usagi reached out to touch you, and I grabbed his arm."

Leo's brows shot up again, but his lips remained still. So, Donnie went on. "I told him not to touch you and he stopped, took his swords off, and told me he only wanted to help. He looked me in the eye too." Donnie frowned and looked back down at his feet before continuing. "I donno. I had a good feeling about him just then, but not good enough to not watch. So, I let him help, but told him I'd be watching while he did. He asked me to hold a lantern for him, which made 'me' nervous, because it made one of my hands full. Then he turned you over on your side, which made you groan. I didn't know how to feel about that. It meant you could vocalize, which meant you could breath, but it wasn't words, which either meant you couldn't breath well enough to form words, or you weren't 'awake' enough to …"

"It was the latter …"

Donnie nodded. "Yeah, I figured, otherwise I wouldn't be telling you this story since you'd already know it. Either that or you've forgotten."

Leo pressed his lips together for a moment before saying, "Maybe …"

"Anyway, he got out a prism and let the lantern's light fall through it. When it came out the other side and fell on you in a rainbow, there was a pattern on your scales over the brain stem, kinda like a rash. It was circular, and at its center, there seemed to be a puncture mark. I hadn't seen it before then. Usagi said it was the entry point of a dissolving poison dart …"

Leo interrupted. "A 'dissolving' poison dart?"

"I know right …" Don gave his a narrow-eyed stare. "Kinda like an 'ultimate ninja' weapon, huh?"

The oldest brother made a face before saying in Leo-dead-pan. "Point taken …"

"'Exactly!' 'That's' why there was no evidence, no way to know what was wrong with you, 'unless' you were someone who had experience with 'dissolving poison darts' and knew what to look for, someone like Usagi! 'He' saved your life by finding out what was wrong and knowing what to do." Don seemed to sink deeper into his mat. "Not me …"

Leo gave his brother a gentle smile. "Don … You saved my life too … if only by helping to lug me out of the arena to the healing ward, keeping my fever down, and trusting Usagi to help me."

Donnie turned over on his shell and mumbled "Come on Leo …" before a long snore from Raph drowned out the rest of his words. Leo's scowl returned in full force. His hand snapped out, grabbed Don's shoulder, and turned him back over. Donnie's eyes went wide within their mask-holes.

Leo glared at him a moment before saying, "Come on 'Don!' Do you think 'Raph' would have ever let Usagi near me if it had been him there instead of 'you'?"

Don's eyes widened further, but also seemed to stare straight through Leo like he was picturing that. The point seemed to be driven home, so Leo sent out another. "And Mikey … Mikey would have been running through every comic-book poison plot in a complete panic or a 'detective mode' that probably would have gotten him pummeled by everyone "except" Usagi." The rabbit appeared to have almost limitless patience to Leo. Though, if anyone could find those limits …

Donnie interrupted his thoughts, "He … might have let Usagi help …"

"Only if some comic book he'd read or cartoon he'd watched had a plot set-up like this one ..."

Leo and Don smiled and chuckled at each other between Raph's gurgle and Mikey's whine. Then they both fell silent as these sound effects returned. Leo looked straight at Don, so he could read his lip movements, "Anyway Don … I'm sorry you didn't make it far in the tournament, but to win it you just had to fight well not find a mutation cure, or trick-out an armored car, or hack through a fire wall. You've always had special skills that help us out in 'our' world. Usagi …" Leo paused. His eyes squinted. He finished in so soft a voice Donnie had to watch his lips carefully, and found his brother had slowed down so much it actually made his words clearer _"has … special skills that … help him ... here … and in … his world."_

Donnie made a face. He replied in his own sad tone. "He … really wouldn't fit in well in ours, Leo. He did great here, because he knows about all the things 'I' don't know about, low tech, but highly effective ninja weaponry and techniques 'you' and dad understand."

Leo looked away and gave the wall a bitter smile. Don's eyes narrowed. "Leo …" His brother's name was covered up by a loud snore from Raph. Glaring, Donnie poked Leonardo in the shoulder to get his oldest brother's attention again. When he had it, he continued. "'We' do need you. You're our leader. You and dad are why we're all 'ninja.' If Raph were in charge, we'd all be vigilantes like Casey. If I were in charcge, 'I'd' be just like Professor Honeycutt, and you'd all be helping me with my latest projects. And Mikey …"

They glanced at Mikey. Then they both looked back at each other and grinned. Don continued. "He'd pretty much be 'just' a lovable couch-potato, or, he'd try to get us all to be superheroes. He'd have me try to give us superpowers with my chemistry set or make us super gadgets to compensate for our lack of superpowers. Who knows what would happen then. We are what we are, because you and dad made us that way. And what we are is a team of awesome ninjas."

Leo raised a brow-ridge at Don. "So 'I'm' the New York City, turtle version of father or Usagi?"

"No. You're Leo. We 'need' you to be Leo in New York City. We need father too, and we needed Usagi here. But I'm … just not sure …"

"Usagi will fit in well in New York City."

Don's smile fell away. "Yeah …"

"Donnie …" Leo pointed to himself. "'We' don't fit in well in New York City."

"Yeah, we do … Just … not in looks."

Leo paused. He stared straight into his brother's eyes. Donnie noticed his brother's lips weren't moving and continued. "I'm not sure … Usagi would fit in there 'in spirit' …"

Leo sighed heavily. Sometimes, he didn't feel like he did either, but his family did. Mikey, Raph, Donnie and their friends April and Casey were New Yorkers through and through …

He …

Sensei had found his first family in Japan. He'd always been closest to sensei. Maybe 'that' had somehow made him the eldest. But, he, they … fit in well with their family. And his family fit in in New York City of third earth.

Usagi … Usagi made him feel like 'he' belonged like sensei did. When they fought against or beside each other, challenging or backing each other up against opponents whose weapons and fighting styles they both understood, it felt like he was in the right place at the right time with the right person to do the right job. It felt amazing.

He wanted to hold onto that, but … He pictured Usagi fighting off tech ninjas, the robots Shredder sent their way, the purple dragons, triceratons, E.P.F. agents, and regular New Yorkers still angry about the tricerion invasion or just frightened at the sight of giant, talking turtles, or a giant talking rabbit. What would Usagi do against them?

It wasn't like he wouldn't do anything, but he'd be out of his element, way out. Would he even know what a gun was without them explaining it to him? How long would it take him to find his way above or below ground? How would he handle the smells of the sewers or dumpsters?

Leo realized his offer had never been about helping Usagi. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply at himself.

"Don't feel bad, Leo …"

He looked up. Don had been reading his face. He tried to read his brother's in return. Don shrugged wearing a slight smile. "I kinda wanted to take him home too. Kinda like a little security blanket in case Shredder threw anything like a 'dissolving poison dart' at us. He can do 'old ninja style' sometimes. That's why you and sensei defeat him so often."

Leo chuckled. Donnie smiled wider and continued. "Usagi's got to go back to his home, though, I think, like we do to ours."

Leo spoke back with just a hint of longsuffering in his smile. "You always had to be the smart one, didn't you Donnie?"

**What do you think? **

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	31. Chapter 31

**Missing scene from last episode of the TMNT 2003 series "Big Brawl" story arc. **

When the Daimyo left, and the healer returned, Usagi thought there was some tension in the latter's face and movements. Added to these observations, the healer's repeated requests he "remain awake and aware" caused the ronin to realize his healer feared he would fall asleep.

Usagi understood. He was tired, deep tired, in muscle, bone, and soul. However, he was also pursuing a question in his mind. Should he return to his life on the road in his own world with Gennesuke, or take up Leonardo's offer to return home with him and his family?

Usagi no longer feared or worried much about the kame's nezumi father saying they were all ninja. If they were not thieves or killers for hire they were unlike any other ninja he knew. They had proved themselves to him and others today siding with the Daimyo instead of his son. He had not overheard them make a single request for a reward from the Daimyo either.

The idea of living in hiding bothered him. He could be silent, even sneaky, when it was needed. As a rule he though, being both forthright and polite was more compatible with honor. Indeed, it bothered him Leonardo could not live so more often. He almost thought of extending the opposite offer himself: asking Leonardo and his own family to come live in his own world. But he had no permanent shelter or place there to offer them as a home. Also, they seemed to have foes to keep in check and friends to protect in their own world.

This put his thoughts on a new path. He also had friends who might call on him at times. He had his own village where he'd grown up which had been attacked before and might be again. He had Tomo Ame. He'd already helped her once in guarding her lord Neryuki from a plot of lord Hebi. He had Gen himself along with others he'd met as a bodyguard and "sometimes" bounty hunter. Kitsune, always getting herself and her little sister in trouble by doing "what a girl must to get by." There were many people and places he felt a slight or great pull toward in his heart. When he thought of leaving them forever with no way but the Daimyo's portals to and from the Battle Nexus to reach him ... To accept Leonardo's invitation felt like a betrayal of them. He would have to say "no" to Leonardo, and he felt sad and worried at the prospect.

. . .

Two figures walked through halls in the Daimyo's palace as morning sunlight poured through its windows. Both wore swords and worried expressions. One, a very tall kame in a blue mask, rubbed his chin. The other, a small rabbit is a blue kimono, had his ears somewhat laid back in their topknot. They both turned a corner and their eyes flew open upon their joint realization they faced each other. Neither had heard the others' footsteps.

Leonardo began. "Usagi, I …"

The rabbit raised a hand, "Please Leonardo san, allow me. I have something important to say to you after thinking about it long into the night."

Leonardo shut his mouth, swallowed, and nodded.

Usagi let his hand fall to his side and sighed. "I fear, Leonardo san, I cannot accept your invitation to accompany you and your family back to your world to live with you there. I find my own heart is drawn back to my own world. Though I have not there the large family you do, nor a permanent home, I do have friends I am loyal to. There are ongoing threats against them I cannot abandon them to face alone. I am sorry, Leonardo san."

Here the rabbit bowed to him. Leonardo smiled over his head. "It's okay, Usagi. I understand."

The rabbit raised his head with a smile. "I would offer to take part in a sparring match with you, for we did not get to finish ours in the battle nexus tounrament, but I fear my healer has called it most unwise. Certain servants of the Daimyo, and he himself, has warned me not taking that healer's advice is 'also' most unwise."

Leonardo chuckled at this. Then he shrugged. "Well, there's always the next tournament."

Usagi grinned wider and bowed again. "I will see you then."

Leonardo tilted his head "Actually, there is one more thing I'd like to ask of you before then."

Usagi looked up with a slight frown. Leonardo continued. "We already asked Traximus, but he left with some warirors he gathered already to go back to his rebellion. He said it was his duty and asked us to say goodbye to you for him." Usagi gave another slight bow of acknowledgment of this goodbye by proxy. Leonardo gave a slight, sad smile at it and went on. "Anyway, Mikey is receiving the trophy today. We wondered if … as a family friend, you might stand with us when he receives it."

The rabbit's grin grew so wide his mouth opened. "Leonardo san, I would be most honored."

. . .

Before the big event, they went swimming in some hot springs near the city. Servants who worked there attempted to give them massages, but they were very confused by what to do about the four turtles' shells. They ended up sticking mostly to rubbing the four brothers' arms, legs, and shoulders.

Leo thought he, Raph, Donnie, and even Splinter would have enjoyed it a whole lot more if Mikey hadn't been bragging about it being a Battle Nexus champion perk. Neither Raph in his loud, simple way nor Donnie in his longer, complex way bothered stopping themselves from reminding him it was also an "I helped stop the hostile take over of the battle Nexus" perk.

Usagi (also there, as if to prove this point) kept giving Leonardo glances asking that which he finally voiced out loud to his fellow sword-wielder. "Is it always like this among the members of your family, Leonardo san?"

Leo glanced toward where Donnie held Raph back from Mikey, who seeing Raph held back, gleefully danced just out of his reach. Meanwhile, Splinter snuck up behind his youngest and rapped his staff on the back of his shell. Mikey jumped about four feet straight into the air, landed, and turned back to give his frowning father a cheesy, innocent grin. Raph was laughing loud and proud now. Even Donnie was covering the lower part of his face while doubled over.

Leonardo looked back to the rabbit Samurai. "Not always quite 'this' bad, but yeah, usually some version of this is going on."

Usagi looked up raising his eyebrows quite high. "Then, Leonardo san, I believe you must have reached heights of patience I have not."

Leonardo swallowed and covered his laugh. After that, they got back their masks and belts, which had been laundered, and weapons, which had been shined, and went to the platform overlooking the arena. There, Mikey was crowned with a wreath, the like of which Donnie said winners of the ancient Greek Olympic Games had received. He was also handed a huge trophy. Even Raph behaved himself in the solemn moment. Their father stood tall and proud behind his staff. Even Leo felt his heart warm as he watched his little brother being celebrated. And his new best friend stood beside him grinning with the rest of the family.

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


	32. Chapter 32

**The beginning is from the ending of "The Big Brawl" episode 4 from the TMNT 2003 series, Usagi's homecoming is from what I've read and watched online of the comics, and the ending with the turtle bros is drawn from the first four seasons of the 2003 series in general. :) I own nothing, and make no money from this, please enjoy anyway.**

Even Mikey, who'd been yammering almost non-stop for over half a day, seemed shocked into awe as he was crowned. The large, blue trophy, like a pyramid with a coin floating over its top, was placed into his hands to the sound of thundering applause and shouts. Leo felt his face grinning until it hurt. He reached out and patted his youngest brother on the shoulder. Their father walked away from his place flanking them to stand beside the Daimyo instead.

Mikey held his trophy over his head and laughed. Donnie stepped up to his side and rubbed him on the head. Meanwhile, Mikey looked down at his trophy and said perhaps the most humble thing he had since his "oops" over his knocked-out opponent. "I can't believe I actually won!"

Raph crossed his arms and said with his usual angry guttural "That makes two of us." Leo grinned a little wider. Later, he'd have to ask Raph if he'd "really" have behaved any better if "he'd" been crowned Battle Nexus Champion instead.

Then the Daimyo's voice and actions caught Leo's attention. Their host bowed his head and said "I know my son was rash and foolish, but I mourn his passing." Leo's smile fell away. His gaze went to his father as the rat replied to his friend.

"Perhaps he is not completely lost. The multi-verse holds many mysteries. There is always hope."

A wave of many feelings washed through Leo's heart at the thought of the Daimyo's son returning: rage, guilt, relief, hope for the Daimyo like his father said, and worry for them all. Leo felt his form tighten, but he tried not to let it show too much.

The Daimyo lifted his head. A soft look, neither frown nor smile, shone from his face. He allowed only one word to escape him with a like tone. "Perhaps …"

Then a brighter voice and look poured out from their host as he stooped to look Splinter in the face a thing not even April and Casey always did for Splinter. "But come, gather your sons. I must let you go home."

Leonardo then turned to bow at the waist to his own shorter, but no less impressive friend in his mind. Said friend spoke first bowing to him and then straightening again at the same time as he. "It was an honor battling beside you and your brothers Leonardo. I hope that someday our paths will cross again."

Leonardo grinned at him as he replied. "It is I who am honored, Usagi. You saved my life."

Splinter walked over to his son's sides. Usagi now stood back and a little apart from them nearer the gong that hung behind him. The Daimyo approached with Splinter. Once the rat stood with them again, their host's staff glowed and then lowered to touch the trophy, which then glowed as well. The Daimyo's deep, happy, and somehow also solemn voice spoke to them again. "Farewell, and good battle to you all."

The brothers all replied in their own way.

He said, "See ya."

Raph said, "Later."

Mikey popped off with a cheery "Ta-ta for now!"

Then they all glowed like the staff and the trophy. A bubble formed around them. Soon, nothing, but blue light, could be seen beyond the bubble. Then it broke apart and fell away and something could be seen beyond: their home. It looked so … normal …

He leaned a little into it and was surprised by the relief in his own voice. "We're home …" Yes, the lair was home. Sensei's sliding screen room with his tea-set and other things from Japan was over there. Stacks of Mikey's comic-books stood by the couch. Raph's weight-bag hung from the ceiling. Donnie beakers and microscope were in his lab just there. The walls and vaulted ceiling spoke of strange origins connected to the underground city beneath them. Their home was all of them and none of them, part New York, part Japan, and part their crazy out-of-the-box adventures no one saw coming. It was theirs and so obviously theirs, it was … home.

Donnie spoke from behind him. "Wow, it's almost like it never happened."

Then Mikey, still wearing his wreath and goofy grin, looked down at what he held in his hands. "Oh, it happened. And I have the trophy to prove it."

Even as he smiled at Mickey, Leo saw Raph from the corner of his eye turning his head away and gritting his teeth. Then his own grin fell away as Mikey turned to him and Donnie pushing his trophy toward them. "Check it out! See what it says?" Leo felt his hands rest on the lower part of his shell as his little brother answered his own question. "'Battle Nexus Champion' which is me, as in the greatest warrior in the trans-dimensional multiverse, which is me." He pointed to his own wreathed head with that same, smug grin.

Leo heard Raph speak, but not from behind him and Donnie. His red-banded brother walked around them to come up behind Mikey while growling. "You only won on a technicality!"

Raph turned away from Mikey, but their little brother turned toward him before pointing at him as well. "Um, technically, I kicked your sorry butt in one of the bouts, remember?"

Raph's arms and fists started shaking. He turned, growling. Mikey stood there smugly smiling at him. Raph tackled Mikey sending them both into him and Donnie. All of them fell in a heap onto the floor.

Raph raised both fists. One punch down landed on Mikey's face before he and Donnie grabbed Raph's wrists and called for him to lay off. And father? Leo looked to their father for help.

Splinter stood off to the side leaning on his cane. His furry mouth move even as it grinned. The old rat spoke slowly and with much warmth, "Yes, it is good to be home."

Leo looked back to his responsibilities, sighed, and wondered what Usagi was doing right about now.

. . .

Usagi had stood grinning at where the family he might have joined and still respected greatly had disappeared. The Daimyo's voice made him looking back to him. "Farewell, my friend. Live with honor."

Usagi didn't think the Daimyo had to worry about in regards to Splinter doing so. The Yojimbo "did" fear his host might have to worry about living at all. This was why he took his host's concern for his health and even entertainment, when his other guests began trickling back to their own worlds, as an opportunity to spend much time in the Daimyo's presence while watching the shadows for ninja and the skies for dragons. Neither appeared. When he heard some servants questioning whether or not their ruler had a new, permanent guard, he dragged Gennesuke from a table of food and politely asked the Daimyo to send them home.

He tried to politely refuse any reward, but Gen took the opportunity to recoup some of his gambling losses. The rhino returned to their "second-earth" with some gold in his pockets. Naturally, once back on the road between green fields and darker green garbed trees, he searched for signs to the nearest town where there might be an inn, and a gambling house or two. Thus, Usagi now found himself watching his friend from a distance. Usagi himself was eating rice with vegetables, nursing a glass of sake, and waiting for his friend to either to loose enough money to quit or win big enough he'd come and brag about it before buying something.

"Greetings, Usagi!"

He turned in surprise. Not many could sneak up on him, but this lady could. He gave her a gentle, but wary smile. "Kitsune …"

She batted her eyelashes at him over a fan. "Word is you've recently returned from a tournament held by a rich and powerful ruler whose life you saved."

He grinned wider at her while leaning back against the table. "You are right. But I did not compete all the way through the tournament nor win anything, but a bout of it, and all the money I got as reward for my actions for our host and others' is with Gen now."

A high voice came from beneath his table and nearly at his knees. "He's right."

Usagi looked under the table to see a small, pouting face looking morosely back at him. The voice continued from it. "His purse is empty, just a few coins at the bottom."

Usagi grinned and opened his mouth to greet the girl, but her big sister's voice came from above his head first. "Alright, come then little sister. Obviously we can conduct better business elsewhere." She turned herself to face the rest of the room and walked off. The other, smaller thief stepped out from under his table and followed her. Usagi shook his head and grinned after them.

They avoided Gen. Maybe Kitsune still had soft feelings for his friend. The Ronin shook his head and sipped his sake wondering what Leonardo san was doing at this moment Surely not this.

. . .

A sing-song voice echoed throughout the lair. "Oh my beloved, big brother, Leonardo …"

Leo glanced away from his book, "The Art of War," and then down at the floor. His brother, Mikey, walked beneath his gaze searching for him. The chamber below a New York City garage had come to feel a whole lot emptier lately, mostly because "everyone" was hiding from the "Battle Nexus Champion."

Suddenly, a swish alerted him at least one new victim for his littlest brother's boasting had arrived. April stepped out of the elevator with grocery bags in her arms. Mikey rushed her arms wide. "April! Did I tell you how ..?"

"You have, Mikey," April replied in a hasty voice before letting it slow and lower in annoyance, "Several times."

Leo chuckled over his book and then heard an "Ah-hah!" He glanced down to see Mikey's green finger pointed at him. "I knew you were up there, Leo!"

He dropped down and laid his book on a step before approaching the human with "Help me" written on her face and his brother holding grocery bags. "Things are dark up there now, right April?"

"Why yes," her face brightened up with a grin. She looked to Mikey who now wore a worried frown. Her gaze was as hungry as the orange-wearing turtle's. "It is dark up there."

"Which means," Leo slow voice sped and brightened up. "We can head out on patrol now!"

Mikey's form deflated a bit. "Ah, Leo … I wanted to help April put the groceries away."

Leo grinned at the bottomless pit in their family. _More like search the bags for chips and more you can start on immediately._ Out loud, he only said, "Then you should have thought about that before beginning to give April your victory speech." He turned and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Donnie! Raph! Patrol!"

"Finally!" Raph strode around a corner. Donnie peaked out of his own hiding place.

Mikey crossed his arms and frowned. "Hey, where have you two been all day?"

Raph reached out and rubbed their little brother's head while he passed by. "Avoiding you!"

Donnie grinned as he also walked past, and remained silent except for a "Thank you, April."

She smiled with a lot of gratitude shining through her own expression as Mikey followed the other two younger brothers past her. Leo clapped April gently on the shoulder and brought up the rear. He shot her his own grin over his shoulder before following his brothers out.

Mikey remained silent and pouting for about five seconds in the elevator. Then he turned to Leo and said, "Hey it's not like I didn't …"

Raph interrupted. "Blah, blah, blah … Ah look, we're here."

He stepped out of the opening elevator doors and jumped up onto the top of the shell-raiser. Donnie followed and waited while Raph went through a hole in the roof Donnie himself had made along with the flap covering it. They slipped out into the night in silence, blessed silence. Well, there were the usual traffic noises. You know, New York City at night, but still, it was relaxing.

He sighed as he paused to look down on all the lights, all the action. It was beautiful. And it was home. He kept going when he turned his head to realize his brother were getting too far ahead of him. It took a bit before they saw a group of Purple Dragons breaking into a car, a nice one.

Raph would love to drive that thing, Mikey and Donnie too. Raph seemed particularly mad the human teens had broken the windows though. He growled, his face crinkled up, and gripped his sai tighter.

Leo glanced at him, knew he wouldn't be able to hold back long, and looked back at the crime scene while whispering, _"On my mark. One, two, three!"_

"Cowabunga!"

"Mikey! No cowabunga!"

**What do you think? :)**

**God Bless**

**ScribeofHeroes**


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